“Watching memes cements a community”

How did these humorous vignettes invade the Web?

Their great strength is to convey simple messages with short texts. These images and videos are of course comical, but they always concentrate an idea. This can become a link for different communities, because the humorous nature of these creations is often based on collective textual or visual references. Even if we don’t have all the codes to fully understand them, everyone is able to decode the message in their own way.

Why do communities appropriate memes?

They reinforce the feeling of sharing a culture or values. When we see them, we tell ourselves that we belong to the same community, because they echo a real-life situation or a shared point of view. It is a way like any other to cement and animate a community. It is therefore not surprising that believers appropriate them.

Is the meme still the preserve of the younger generation?

The majority are young people who produce them. Older people don’t always know how to create it, but they often consume it without knowing it or knowing its name. Using a visual element to convey a message is nothing new and is based on very shared human resources. Advertising posters and caricatures have been playing with it for a long time.