What started as a joke has turned into a powerful force, influencing national conversations and trends across the country. Whether they’re the most basic font or sophisticated moving graphics, these funny little pixelated pictures and words are a great window into social mood and lived reality. Among the countless memes that have filled the interwebs, very few have reached true iconic status.
By industrious programmers—I dare say most—one of the very first and still most lasting memes is “Hello, World! This sentence is an indication of the millions, maybe billions, of computer users’ rites of passage. For so many, it was the first line of code or web page they ever created. It’s that simplicity and universal appeal that has made dogs a cornerstone of internet culture.
The most famous early example being the “Badger Badger” meme. That’s because it got its start from an animated short produced by British animator Jonti Picking, better known as Mr. Weebl. Its addictive song and surreal animation make it one of the most popular apps for TikTok memers, captivating millions of users ever since its launch in March.
The “Doge” meme —the iconic image of a Shiba Inu named Kabosu with its signature facial expression— was the internet’s favorite blast of monkey business. It’s the lighthearted text overtop these images, typically using a broken-English style, that’s helped cement this meme in the annals of 21st century memesphere.
The “This is fine” meme is just as legendary. It features the now iconic image of a dog chilling at a table while his whole house burns down around him. This image speaks to everybody who has seen some disaster and kept doing their thing, helping to showcase the power of memes to connect with audiences.
One of the web’s biggest meme stars might just be the “Crazy Frog,” a flashing frog that first amazed the internet with its viral ringtone and animated pranks. The character soon became a poster child for early 2000s internet culture, illustrating just how rapidly any given meme can enter the public discourse.
The world of viral memes has a violent but popular template with this pic of a woman furiously confronting her eternal foe. To that nemesis? A smug, white cat lounging atop a boardroom table. This contrast of emotions has led to it going hugely viral across all platforms.
Jonathan Ware, aka the “Zombie Kid”, is the current internet sensation meme. He became famous for his passionate grimace in a viral video. This trending phenomenon is an example of how common, genuine, internet-age moments can become remaining online sensations.
Memes like the photographic diptych showing a woman crying with anger further exemplify how emotions can be distilled into relatable content. Along the same lines, the “World’s most accurate pie chart” offers a funny but on-point example of using visual storytelling to add data humor.
The internet has produced memorable images such as one featuring Tom DeLonge with a blond wig and moustache mouthing “What the fuck,” demonstrating how celebrity culture intertwines with meme creation. In another example, a grinning cartoon dog declares, “F**k you, I’m an anteater” in homage to the absurdity and brashness of hipper Cats.
The WWII “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster that inspired a thousand parodies. This emblematic World War II motif has morphed into a flexible means of internet expression, the meme. A video set to the Beastie Boys’ “Fight for Your Right,” featuring prominent figures like Johnson and Rees-Mogg, showcases how current events can fuel meme culture.
Don’t get me wrong, classic memes are awesome too! One standout still from the game Zero Wing has us rolling in the aisles still with its infamous tagline. A burn reaction GIF with the words “ohhhhh” continues to be a favorite due to the expressive quality of the GIF itself.
“All your base are belong to us” – Ian Davies