5 things you should know about Memes

If you have a FB, a Google+ or a 9Gag account, I am pretty sure you have seen some of those weird badly drawn cartoons, which are all the rage these days. These cartoons (which I am sure you have heard already) are known as Meme. These latest viral fever to catch the internet, is easy to make, easy to share and easy to understand (well mostly). But if are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of memes out there right now, check out the 5 point guide below to help you understand what all this “FAD” is all about.

1. Define The Meme:

This is not a “need to know” fact, but it always helps when you have your bases covered entering a “Troll War”. Meme as defined in a dictionary/Wikipedia is any cultural influence or concept accepted worldwide in a viral fashion spreading from person to person. In this case this concept is of drawing jokes, point of views, observations etc via crude per-designed figures. The cartoons themselves were known as “Rage” (initial drawings were used for expressing situations which enraged people) and was initially restricted to stick figures only, each having not more than 4 panels. With time however(i.e. in the past 2 years or so), the images have become much more elaborate (with a wide array of images welded together to create memes that have 10-12 panels) and have become synonymous with the term Meme itself. So when today someone says, “Did you check out that meme?”, he is referring to an individual image rather than a new underground pop movement that you haven’t heard about.

meme (noun) in blogspeak, an idea that is spread from blog to blog

2. Pronounce The Meme:

While this may not help you on the internet as much, its a nice little feather in your cap, when you show this off among your friends. Most people say it as they read it, which results in various pronunciations such as “May May”, “Me Me”, “Maim”. All of them sound legit, but they are not, the correct pronunciation of the word is {/’mi?m/ MEEM }. So the next time someone mispronounces this sticky word, be sure to correct them “Like A Sir”.

3. Know The Meme:

As is with every human activity in the world, this culture has its tradition. When creating a meme giving someone advise, you use the “Advise Mallard”. When lamenting about your laziness you use the “Lazy Guy”. When describing your happiness on an accomplishment, you use the “Baby Fist Pump”. There are loads more, and you will find out that while the internet harps from the roof being all about breaking the norms, they really stick it to you if you use the wrong memes sometime.

4. Draw The Meme:

First thing to remember here is that this is no art, there is no technique, or nuances, no subtleties here. Its basically a lot of copy and paste. You can use anything from Paint, to Microsoft Word to any of the online tools (yes they have online tools to make memes) to create your own Memes. You just have to have an idea and you can come up with a meme in no time.

Create Your own memes at:

• Meme Generator
• Dan’s Awesome Rage Maker

5. Publish The Meme:

Remember there is no copyright rules at work here (at least till now). Every image, every screenshot is free to use without any implications (except of course for angry commenter or politicians). So don’t take your work too seriously, infact people sharing and re-posting your work is a form of imitation (and you know what they say of imitations and flattery). Also irrespective of how stupid you think your meme is, publish it, even if it breaks any meme creating traditions. You have already done the hard work of creating it, so don’t be shy put it on the web, you will be surprised to find how many people like your work (even if it is less than the people who hate it). One final advise, internet is very vocal about their opinion, so don’t be discouraged when you get some hate, its all just part of growing up.

Hope this quickfire guide to memes helped. Be sure to drop in and submit some memes of yourself in the comments below.