You keep saying that, but you haven’t explained the difference yet.
Alaknár
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Cake day: June 29th, 2025
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I’m so confused… It’s like you wanted a separate definition of “internet news article” because these often have click-bait titles, unlike (most) TV or newspaper articles.
It’s the same thing. Just the medium is different.
But there already is a “more specific term” - “internet meme”. It’s a meme that (mostly) originates/spreads over the Internet. Job done.
All three definitions you provided are well within Dawkins’ definition.
By some definitions some viral videos would count, if they’re viral because they’re funny. By those definitions, if they’re viral because they’re critical news like the George Floyd murder, they’re not memes because they’re not humorous.
The reason for their spread is irrelevant. The fact that it’s “a piece of culture that is spreading” is what makes it a meme.
What made image macros into internet memes was people taking the same macro and using different text
Again, this is well within the definition of “meme”.
My definition is not necessarily “right”, but I like it.
You’re arguing that “Internet meme” should be it’s own thing, when it fits perfectly well within the overarching definition of “meme”.
An “Internet meme” falls smack in the middle of Dawkins’ definition. I really have no clue what your point is.
What are you talking about, my dude?
The definition of the term “meme” was given by Richard Dawkins in 1972. That’s what the word means.
What’s your point?
A meme (/miːm/ ⓘ; MEEM)[1][2][3] is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads by means of imitation from person to person within a culture and often carries symbolic meaning representing a particular phenomenon or theme.[4] A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols, or practices, that can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena with a mimicked theme. Supporters of the concept regard memes as cultural analogues to genes in that they self-replicate, mutate, and respond to selective pressures.[5]
A “viral video” is practically the definition of a meme.
Yes, it’s literally in the definition. Even ideas are memes.
A meme is to culture what a gene is to biology.
Akhchually, they were called “memes” since 1976. It’s just that the word didn’t get popular with them damn kids.
My God… All the “pro life” movements make so much more sense now! They actually don’t care about the women, they only want the children around. And worse off the children, the better for them!
Wouldn’t that be nano-retiring? I’m nano-retiring a couple of times a day when going to the toilet!
And then micro-retire for the weekend?
Effectively it was a failed kamikaze.
OK, let’s break them down.
“Image”, “video” and “GIF” are the same thing - an image. It’s just moving in some cases.
So we’re left with “humorous, amusing or interesting form of expression that relies on images and text, and spreads across the Internet”.
“Humorous, amusing or interesting” can be skipped, because if it “spreads across the Internet” means there’s a reason for it. For that matter, the reason could be that people feel angry or infuriated, and a lot of others. So let’s just skip these altogether and just leave the fact that it’s spreading.
We’re left with “a form of expression that relies on images and text, and spreads across the Internet”.
Where “a form of expression that relies on images and text” is “an idea”.
So, your “unique” definition of “Internet meme” is just: “an idea that spreads across the Internet”.
Which is to say: it’s a meme. The method of spreading is irrelevant, the important bit is the spread itself. Doesn’t matter if it’s by word of mouth, newspapers, TV broadcasts, radio, or the Internet, it’s just the transportation method.