It is easy to take for granted the endless stream of memes we have already consumed, are currently consuming, and will continue to consume in the future.
They are accessible, plentiful, and most important of all, free. The whole process of finding them is so effortless, in fact, that few stop to question the value of their presence. This convenience, plus the goofy way they usually present themselves, can make us write them off in terms of impact.
As well as this, it is also easy to overlook all of the different steps that made the existence of every single meme possible. Decades of technological shifts and cultural changes had to occur before so many funny internet pictures could proliferate as they do now. This is without even taking into account the countless dedicated individuals who create and aggregate this content. They are the ones shaping the cultural moment, and they often do not get that much credit for it. None of this happened by accident; it is the direct product of people wanting to shape the internet environment they find themselves in by making it a little silly.
When you think about all of this, memes stop being just stupid jokes that we use to distract ourselves. Instead, they become something more meaningful; each one is an artefact of a specific time and mindset. Recognizing that depth doesn't mean you have to take them seriously, though. It can actually make them more enjoyable. You start to appreciate not just the humor itself, but everything that lies behind it to make it possible.
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4 months ago
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