Memelate
Well, since you are already here, you probably already know what a MEME is. We all do unless someone asks to describe it. The concept of What is a meme? or Why it is a meme? is very hard to explain. But like our Ananta Bhai we will try to explain such a Oshombhob difficult matter to you guys.
This is a popular Ananta Jalil meme template of Bangladesh. This became a meme for the iconic dialogue “অসম্ভবকে সম্ভব করাই অনন্তর কাজ”. This meme template is originally from a TVC.
The word “meme” isn’t something that is only used to describe internet humor. In fact, the word meme originates from a book named “The Selfish Gene” written by Richard Dawkins in 1976. That was way before the internet existed!
The book talks about human behavior and culture that we share and evolve from. According to Wikipedia (A meme is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads by means of imitation from person to person within a culture and often carries symbolic meaning representing a particular phenomenon or theme). Others say that Meme is a unit of cultural information spread by imitation.
Let’s focus on two things here- 1. Symbolic meanings and 2. Cultural information
95% of the memes we encounter daily are connected to these two factors. They are ways we communicate with each other. It is in fact the strongest power of meme communication that doesn’t need any specific language. From funny cat videos to doge meme to our very own Dipjol, internet meme has evolved into a new model where new cultural mixtures are happening.
Internet memes survive on social factors, information, news, political movement, or personal experience. How a meme starts and how it gets famous is still hard to explain. Some say it has to do with relevance or what most people find humorous. But sometimes popular memes are popular just because they are. Not everyone knows the context or the origin of it, that’s why we see many popular Bangladeshi meme templates where the initial content was not so successful.
This is a popular Bangladeshi meme template. Although the original movie was not that successful among young people.
To survive online, Internet memes are in the process of evolution. Every day thousands of new memes are made and shared on social media. Internet memes must constantly adapt to the evolving nature and structure of the dynamic web. A meme can be anything from a word, a symbol, a phrase, an inside joke, or even a gesture.
Shakib Khan crying in a movie scene.
Memes have become a part of internet culture. Sometimes they say things that words cannot do justice. We still don’t clearly understand what makes a meme MEME, nevertheless, all of us clearly enjoy it! Memes sometimes result in movement, it’s a popular media of sharing thought and opinion.
So to conclude, a meme can mean something different to everybody! For some it’s just an internal joke, for others it’s a way of communication. However you see it, its part of our internet culture. Whenever we see/share or react to it, we ourselves become a part of it.
That’s why memes are not only funny internet posts you see, its a way for us to bond with each other as humans.