To learn more about memes and their influence on our communication, we reached out to Dr. Idil Galip, a Lecturer in New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam. Her research focuses on the production of internet memes and the people who make them. She also runs the Meme Studies Research Network and enjoys writing and making memes herself! “Most of my memes are gripes about what I think is wrong with the world and myself, it's free therapy.” Scroll down for the whole interview!
Memes have become a common sight in today's online culture. From humorous one-liners to relatable situations, it's hard to scroll through social media without coming across at least one of these cultural phenomenons. But what is it about memes that makes them so well-liked? According to Idil, internet memes are very popular mostly because they are cheap and easy to make and distribute. “You can also put together a meme in a relatively short amount of time. Moreover, the ugliness, or even incompletion, of a quickly made meme is often celebrated for its humor and irreverence.”
The internet has undeniably changed the way we communicate and share information and memes have been playing a big role in this digital landscape. However, the concept of a "meme" is not unique to the internet era. Idil shared that while internet memes are obviously linked to the internet and digital culture, they have existed for as long as culture has existed. “If we are to take on Richard Dawkins's definition of the 'meme', then they are simply units of culture that are shared between people. This definition makes the history of memes much more expansive and far-reaching. Limor Shifman, who is a key figure in meme research, explains that internet memes are postmodern folklore. So, we could say that memes are inherent within folklore generally.”
While the popularity of memes shows no signs of slowing down, it might be interesting to know what elements are necessary for something to be considered a meme. Idil explained that if we look at academic research about the matter, the main elements of a meme are content, form and stance. “Although ultimately, a meme becomes a meme once it is shared with others. The logic of circulation, or sharing, is part and parcel of memes.”
While a lot of memes are created purely for entertainment, others can be used for communication and social commentary. According to Idil, memes play a variety of roles in today's culture. “They are fulfilling social, political, cultural and even economic functions. Something that surprises people is the fact that sharing a meme with a friend can be an act of friendship! I recently saw a tweet that described the TikToks that friends send each other as 'friend homework,' for example. Another significant role they play is that they facilitate the construction of identity, and community belonging. We can tell stories about who we are and extend narratives about ourselves and our worlds by making, sharing and engaging with internet memes. They're also a good way to kill time.”
