A meme is a cultural unit of information, typically in the form of an image, phrase, video, or idea, that spreads rapidly through social networks and online platforms. The concept of a meme was first introduced by evolutionary biologist 📝Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book 📝The Selfish Gene, where he described it as a replicator of culture, akin to genes in biology. In modern internet culture, memes often take the form of humorous or satirical content, with variations and remixes shared widely across platforms such as 📝Reddit, 📝X (Twitter), 📝Instagram, and 📝Tiktok. While memes are often associated with comedy, they also serve as tools for political expression, cultural critique, and community-building, reflecting collective values, anxieties, or inside jokes. The lifecycle of a meme tends to follow a pattern of creation, virality, adaptation, and eventual decline, although certain formats remain enduringly popular. Researchers in media studies, sociology, and communication view memes as both artifacts of digital culture and mechanisms for participatory communication in the networked age.
