If you came to this article, you know what a meme is. But do you know how to define it? Well, Encyclopedia Britannica writes that it is a part of cultural information spread by imitation. Doesn’t reflect how we typically understand it, does it? The New York Times has a tad better definition: a piece of media whose purpose is to deliver a cultural, social, or political idea, usually through humor. 

One of the first viral memes happened all the way back in 1996. “Dancing Baby” or “Baby Cha-Cha-Cha,” a 3D animation of a baby dancing, hence the name, became a sensation in the late 1990s. Some say that this exact meme shifted the way internet users started engaging with online content. 

Speaking of internet users, Bored Panda got in touch with one of them, named Gerda, who agreed to share some of her thoughts about the topic of memes. 

She confessed that while spending time online, she sees memes quite often. It could be because she follows some pages that either create or post memes. Or maybe memes have simply become an irreplaceable part of the internet culture. They tend to reflect current events and pop culture. This makes them a great way of discussing either lighthearted or serious topics in a relatable and captivating way. 

Gerda also said that “Relatable feelings can be communicated through memes in a way that many understand.” After all, some say that humor is a universal language, right? 

Serious ideas can be expressed through memes as well. In fact, there have been many times when they have been used as a political tool. The most current major example is Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. When British singer Charli XCX tweeted that “Kamala IS brat,” the Harris campaign’s official Twitter page didn’t wait long before changing their backdrop to symbolize brat green. 

For context, “Brat” is a dance and electronic pop album by the mentioned singer. The green color used for the album's cover became its signature color, and the album name became a synonym for accepting imperfections and owning your authentic self. The album took the music world and internet by storm, becoming a relatable and even politically usable meme. 

Gerda agrees that memes are an irreplaceable part of internet culture. In her opinion memes are the things that drastically shape the way the internet is. “Without them, it wouldn’t be the same.” 

She also noted that memes, or more specifically their formats, tend to have different lifespans. While some, like Drake from the “Hotline Bling” music video or the car scene from “Umbrella Academy,” are still used years after their creation, others live way shorter. Yet, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t important for the overall internet culture. 

As the answers on this Quora thread suggest, memes are here to stay. This brings us to the meme account on Instagram that’s currently called “Lasting Meme.” While we cannot guarantee how long the memes shared on this page will last, we can guarantee that they’re funny. And sometimes that’s all we want from a meme, isn’t it? 

What kind of meme topics do you like the most? Share with us in the comments!