By Micahel Karr | Broadcast Intern
When a caption and an embarrassing picture collide, a true masterpiece is formed: a meme.
When asked to say something funny or to tell a joke, I no longer think of my elementary days when knock-knock jokes were among the best I could tell. Nowadays, I immediately think of memes. Ranging from Bad Luck Brian, to Sonic the Hedgehog and even The Magic School Bus, memes can be for anyone and everyone, depending on how you approach them.
One reason memes are so funny is because they are relatable. It’s hard to laugh at something that you cannot relate to, so when the meme talks about something you have done or commonly do, it has greater effect.
Memes also are comical because they can make a heavy subject have a light side to it. There have been many memes about government problems, weird cousins and even regional stereotypes across the country.
Memes have been around for a while and do not seem to be slowing down in popularity. Different waves of memes occur when something strange or important happens, such as a gorilla dragging around a child in a zoo habitat, a strange Sonic the Hedgehog knowing “de way” and Spongebob Squarepants acting like a caveman.
Since memes are so relatable and funny, it’s hard to see why the older generations have not started to use memes themselves.
Although many pronounce them “mee-mees,” middle-aged people are starting to pick up on the trend, despite their poor efforts. I have not once seen a meme shared by an elder that I have not cringed at or asked myself why it was me that had to see their failed effort.
Perhaps the reason older generations cannot pick up on memes is because the jokes created for memes are often ones that only today’s pop culture subscribers can understand. Adults would probably be confused about what it means when a meme depicting a boy named Brian with bad luck is posted all over the internet.
Memes continue to remain present today through new jokes that constantly recirculate and that have not been burned out. The number of memes that involve a baby looking accomplished or Liam Neeson threatening to find and kill someone is still constantly growing and still very relevant to modern life.
The idea of a future without memes is a shocking one, but also a future that does not seem very likely. Recent studies have found that memes are more researched than Jesus Christ, according to the numbers provided by Google Trends. Although this is a sad realization, this proves that memes are still taking off and do not seem to be slowing down in popularity.
Memes hold a special place in my heart and hopefully in most people’s, and I plan to keep it that way. When you’re sad, just remember that you (probably) have not been made into an embarrassing meme that has been seen by millions of people.
