Memes

              The concept of a meme can be traced back to Richard Dawkins. He referred to memes as an “evolutionary model of cultural development and change that was grounded in the replication of ideas, knowledge, and other cultural information through imitation and transfer.” There are three factors that he points out that are responsible for a meme’s success: fidelity, fecundity, and longevity. Fidelity refers to a meme’s ability to be copied and passed from one mind to another while maintaining the same idea. Fecundity refers to the speed at which an idea is copied and passed on. Lastly, longevity is how long a meme survives. Memes that become popular all share these same qualities.

Figure 1

              One meme that I am sure everyone knows of is the little boy and his fist bump who has been coined as “Success Kid.” This meme of the little boy is probably one of the most replicated memes because of how simple it is. In fact, the meme became so popular that the kid in the memes became famous and even earned some advertisements (He became the face of Vitamin Water and was used by Virgin Media for a marketing campaign in 2012). Words that are usually attached to this meme are usually what people consider “accomplishments” or even just random luck.

For example, the meme in Figure 1 describes ordering fries at a Burger King and then finding an onion ring with the fries. Although it is such a simple matter, it is entertaining because it is so relatable. Who doesn’t love receiving extra stuff when they order fast food? 

Figure 2

Figure 2 is another very simple meme that many people can relate to as well. I know several people who have a habit of texting/calling people when they are drunk and regret what they did the next day. Most of the time, they are calling their ex-girlfriend/boyfriend or texting something extremely embarrassing. The thing that probably made Success Kid so popular is its relatability. Many people are able to relate to what is described in the memes. It is also very easy to create your own version of Success Kid because there are just so many things in life that make people happy. Success Kid has all the qualities that Dawkin mentions a successful meme has. 

I think Figure 3 is something that all students can relate to. It is the best feeling in the world when you’re taking a test and don’t know the answer to a question, but then find the answer to it within another question. I remember when my teacher realized the mistake he made during the test and I was just thinking “Yes!! Thank you!” Teachers obviously cannot relate to the meme so it is not as funny to them as it is to students. However, all students can relate to it because we pretty much earned an extra point without trying very hard. 

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 4 is another meme that most people can relate to. Anyone who has had to bring groceries inside the house understands how annoying it is to have to make several trips back and forth. That is why people often try to hold as many bags as possible during one trip to shorten the amount of times you have to go back and forth. Being able to carry everything in one trip brings forth a sense of accomplishment and happiness.

Success Kid was so popular at one point because the idea behind it is so easily copied and passed from one mind to another. Although the meme in Figure 3 is not something that is relatable to teachers, they too can easily make one that does apply to them since the concept behind the Success Kid is applicable to everyone. Everyone has the ability to interpret the meme in a way that applies to them.