[[{{LOLcats}} http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/i-can-has-cheezburger.jpg]]
[[caption-width:400:[[http://wiki.ytmnd.com/NEDM NEVAR]] [[http://notevendoommusic.com/ FORGET]].]]

->''Ladies and gentlemen, we have... '''An Internet Meme!'''''
-->--'''[[ATopTheFourthWall Linkara]]''', refering to [[AllStarBatmanAndRobin "I'm the Goddamn Batman"]]

-->'''[[CompleteWorldKnowledge John Hodgman]]:''' [Packets like these] could be anything on the internet. Spam, videos of lonely teens practicing with their lightsabers, comical reimaginings of movie premises -- ''BrokebackMountain'', for example, cats dressed as nuns eating from dishes of gravy...\\
'''Jon Stewart:''' Or maybe even useful information, or news analysis.\\
'''John Hodgman:''' Well, I guess. In fact...''(he holds up a small stack of papers)''...these are all Chuck Norris jokes.
--->''TheDailyShow'', [[http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=114648&title=net-neutrality-act Net Neutrality Act]].

Sociologists notwithstanding, on the Internet, a "meme" (pronounced "meem," ''[[GratuitousFrench maybe]]'' "mem," [[GannonBanned NOT "mee-mee" or]] [[ItIsPronouncedTroPAY "may-may"]]) is usually described as a catchy derivative of some aspect of pop culture, [[TheParody parodied]] and repeated to the point that its origins and original meaning become muddled and completely mutilated beyond any point of recognition or humor. This is when you must kill it with fire. (NAAAAAAUUUUUUUUU!) (NEDM)

Fandom being what it is, this also applies to characters. Occasionally they are based on in-jokes relating to production or voice actor similarities, but the Internet is liable to spread a "meme" version of a character which is totally (sometimes deliberately) at odds with the original depiction, such as a cheerful version of a dark or scary character, a sexy version of a character featured in a JekyllAndHyde episode, or [[TheWoobie softening a depressed one]] into a simply unlucky character. However, this is different from [[AdaptationDecay outright decay]] since the fandom does it out of fun, not [[FanWank willful ignorance]]. Indeed, a character who is subject to memes simply shows that the fandom finds them memorable and catchy, even if they [[OneSceneWonder only showed up for a fraction of the time compared to other characters]]. This becomes especially potent for productions that leave the mainstream market relatively quickly.

Depending on how strongly the production company is tied with fandom, this can actually be acknowledged within the series in the form of {{omake}} or PopularityPower.

Another quirk of memes depends on where they're initially propagated. Memes often spread regardless of content, taste, or sensibilities, while the original source may be the only ones who know enough about the source material to use it ironically. As well, some memes reference something common, but become catchy enough to be [[OlderThanTheyThink associated with only a single new thing]]. Sometimes a meme can escape the internet and get referenced in the medium it parodied. When this is the case you get an AscendedMeme. Some forgotten or discredited memes are even resurrected thanks to the PopularityPolynomial.

Perhaps the most famous meme (which, by its nature, became an AscendedMeme) is [[LeeroyJenkins Leeroy Jenkins]] -- see? We mentioned the name and you knew who we meant, didn't you?. Over the course of the video, Leeroy became famous by way of becoming a Jeopardy question, and soon reached AscendedMeme status from a parodied appearance in ''GuildWars'', numerous tribute videos, a Dave Barry mention, and as a [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/leeroy_card.jpg card]] in the ''WorldOfWarcraft'' card game. (and even, if you listen carefully enough, the ''Make Love, not Warcraft'' episode of ''SouthPark''). Oh, and there's a Jenkins achievement in [=WoW=], as of ''Wrath of the Lich King''. He is also a figure in the newish World of Warcraft Collectable miniatures Game. He even shows up in the sci-fi game ''MassEffect'' as a RedShirt in the first mission.

Note that while this article refers to internet-based memes, the phenomenon is by no means limited to it. Just as SeinLanguage is that unique blend of terms you and your friends use, so too is a meme a unique term for a particular group. Most of the time, that group just happens to be the ''entire internet.'' Or 4chan, where Mudkips, and a whole muddle of memes that first crawled their way out of the tar-like cesspool there. Oh, and there is where CandleJack was a

A note: When adding examples found in the internet, don't just yell out the memetic phrase or concept. Explain it too, for the sake of us noobs. If it's not from the internet, then it's fine, since they are OlderThanYouThink.

And please don't try to use these pages to kickstart your own memes. [[HypocriticalHumor That's just asking for YOUR HEAD! IN A BAG FULL OF KICKS! DR. JIM DE-QFFFFFF!]]

If you'd like to keep up with the memes of the day, go to [[http://knowyourmeme.com/ knowyourmeme.com]], or EncyclopaediaDramatica, if you don't mind that it's NotSafeForWork. [[http://www.lurkmore.com/wiki/Main_Page The LURKMORE Wiki]] is also a suprisingly rational resource for the memes themselves and the enigmatic culture around them.

Surprisingly, the TropeNamer (for the word ''Meme''), is RichardDawkins.
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'''Sub-tropes and specific variants (add new examples to those pages, not here):'''

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Memes by Media ]]

* Memes/{{Advertising}}
* Memes/{{Anime}}
** Memes/CodeGeass
* Memes/{{Comics}}
* Memes/{{Film}}
* Memes/{{Literature}}
** Memes/FanFic
* Memes/LiveActionTV
* Memes/{{Music}}
* Memes/ProfessionalWrestling
* Memes/RealLife
** Memes/{{Politics}}
** Memes/{{Sports}}
** Memes/TroperTales
* Memes/TabletopGames
* Memes/{{Theater}}
* Memes/TVTropesWiki
* Memes/VideoGames
** [[{{Memes/Touhou}} Touhou]] (A game series that is overflowing with so many memes it needs its own section.)
* Memes/{{Webcomics}}
* Memes/WesternAnimation
* Memes/OtherInternet

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Specific Types of Memes ]]

* AdOfWin
* CandleJack. No, wait, I didn't mean to say t [[supersecretspoiler:(Got you too.)]]
** Foolish troper, don't say CandleJack's full name!...Wait, n [[supersecretspoiler:(Sucker.)]]
* CaramelldansenVid
* EarWorm
* FauxtivationalPoster
* [[spoiler:TheGame]]
* ImageMacro
** {{Lolcats}}
* InSovietRussiaTropeMocksYou
* TheInternetIsForPorn
** RuleThirtyFour
* MemeticBadass
* MemeticMolester
* MemeticOutfit
* MemeticSexGod
* PrettyCoolGuy
* RickRoll
* StupidStatementDanceMix
* ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet
* TropersDoItWithoutNotability
* VoiceClipSong
* WatchItForTheMeme
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Ah Ha! [[SubvertedTrope We finally dodged]] Candle [[DoubleSubversion Ja]]

Hey, you didn't even say his whole name! Candle Ja, Candle Ja... [[TemptingFate see, I'm perfectly fi]]

Well, you guys are obviously fakes. CandleJack only comes if you say his full na [[color:#FFFFFF: You know the really sad thing? Those first two ''were'' faking.]]

[[color:#FFFFFF: O Rl]]

%

We've entered an endless recursion of time.

Kyon-kun, denwa!