FORGOTTEN HISTORY: Hilarious funny relatable memes | History Defined

As it turns out, it’s quite a common assumption that memes first appeared on the internet in the modern era, but in reality, the concept of humor has been around for centuries. What’s even more interesting is that the term “meme” was actually first conceived in the book The Selfish Gene, written by biologist Richard Dawkins in 1976.

It’s really not surprising that memes have become a convenient way for us to express our thoughts and emotions. If we’re being honest, there truly isn’t a better feeling than being seen and understood, which is exactly what happens when other social media users react positively to our favorite memes.

It probably doesn’t come as much of a shock that memes have taken social media by storm in recent years. This is largely due to how quickly they spread across the internet, how accurately they capture shared experiences, and also how perfectly they blend humor and complex emotions in a way that’s universally understood.

Much like other forms of communication, memes are constantly evolving and changing. A decade ago, a simple image of a dog pulling a wild facial expression was considered top tier. However, today, great memes include AI-generated clips, more chaotic stills, and higher levels of irony and sarcasm than ever before.