Do tell me more and more

Interested in a little more history? This New York Times article "The Meaning and History of Memes" provides an excellent summary of memes, how they are defined, and how they have changed. The article explains that memes didn't start with the internet, they have always existed as a form of human communication. A meme in this context is an idea that pervades and spreads though different mediums.

They use the Webster's New World College Dictionary definition of a meme as "a concept, belief, or practice conceived as a unit of cultural information that may be passed on from person to person, subject to influences in a way analogous to natural selection.”

Some questions to keep in mind as you read this article:

The article states that the sharing and creating of memes builds a sense of community? Do you agree? Why or why not? Do you use memes for communication? Do you have a specific meme that you use most often?

Other examples of memes can be seen in this short video from Films on Demand. When watching this video notice the many different types of memes the speaker discusses.

"Nicolas Cage" makeameme.org

Benveniste, Alexis. “The Meaning and History of Memes.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 26 Jan. 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/01/26/crosswords/what-is-a-meme.html.

TEDTalks: Susan Blackmore—Memes and Temes. Produced by Ted, Films Media Group, 2008. Films On Demand, fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=95289&xtid=48117. Accessed 2 Feb. 2024.