An “Internet meme” is often defined as “a concept that spreads via the Internet” (Wikipedia), though of course everything that travels around in the Internet is, technically, a meme. It’s the ones that get madly popular, or “go viral”, that get called “Internet memes”.
I had fun learning about them when making the Radio 4 programme “What’s in a meme?” in March 2011. I was completely ignorant of Rickrolling, Old Spice Man, and Dramatic Chipmunk when I began.
I wrote a bit about this for the Guardian’s Commentisfree
and talked to The Pod Delusion.
I did, however, already love Ceiling Cat, who is always looking down on me when I’m working but then the moment I turn my head she disappears up into the ceiling leaving no trace of the hole she peered through, only to pop out again when I’m not looking.
Here – courtesy of my own cats, are some of my own versions of Ceiling Cat. I’m not sure I’ve quite got the hang of LOLspeak (but then really why would I?)
I wonder whether anyone will ever copy any of these on? Have they got what it takes to join the Internet memes out there?