"Most of what is unusual about man can be summed up in one word: 'culture'. I use the word not in its snobbish sense, but as a scientist uses it. Cultural transmission is analogous to genetic transmission in that, although basically conservative, it can give rise to a form of evolution."
Sociology notwithstanding, on the
Internet, a
"meme"
(pronounced "meem") is usually described as a catchy derivative of some aspect of pop culture,
parodied and
repeated to the point that its origins and original meaning become muddled and completely mutilated beyond any point of recognition or humor. It can even be
Wrongfully Attributed.
Which means we don't want them in TV Tropes articles. Because we are not interested in being muddled, dated, and beyond humor.
Fandom being what it is, this also applies to characters. 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
Jekyll and Hyde episode, or
softening a depressed one into a simply unlucky character.
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
associated with only a single new thing.
Depending on how strongly the production company is tied with
fandom, sometimes a meme can escape the internet and get referenced in the medium it parodied through
Bonus Material or
Popularity Power. When this is the case you get an
Ascended Meme. Some forgotten or
Discredited Memes are even resurrected thanks to the
Popularity Polynomial.
Note that while this article refers to
internet-based memes, the phenomenon is not just limited to the
internet. It can be
Sein Language which is that unique blend of terms you and your friends use, or a simple
Catch Phrase that is repeated over a billion times. However, certain memes are only popular to a certain group.
For in-universe examples, see
Instant Web Hit.
If you'd like to keep up with the memes of the day, go to
Oh Internet or
Know Your Meme, or
The LURKMORE Wiki (NSFW), or the fine folks at
Encyclopedia Dramatica (Even more NSFW). These are all examples of great resources for the memes themselves and the enigmatic culture around them, but beware the
interstitials.
You Have Been Warned. On the other hand, if you just want to learn who starts many of these, see
Fountain of Memes. These are probably the most common source of
Surreal Humor.
The
Trope Namer (for the word
meme) is
Richard Dawkins, who suggested a
Mind Virus-like model of society: that cultural information is inherited and reproduced, occasionally with minor mutations, in a similar way to
genetic information.
When adding to one of the subpages, please write the meme, then add the explanation of the meme inside a hottip titled "Explanation."
Explanation This is just the example. Follow it this way.
Sub-tropes and specific variants (add new examples to those pages, not here):
Memes by Medium
Specific Types of Memes and Specific Memes With Their Own Page
