Internet meme

A meme is a unit of cultural information spread by imitation. The term was introduced by Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book, The Selfish Gene, as a cultural parallel to biological genes. Memes can take various forms, such as ideas, behaviors, or phrases, and are transmitted through communication, including electronic means like the Internet.1

Internet memes, a popular form of meme in the early 21st century, are typically images, videos, or other media that are deliberately altered by individuals and spread widely online, often through social media. While similar to Dawkins's original concept, their deliberate alteration distinguishes them. These Internet memes can have significant cultural and social impact, as seen with the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, which originated from a meme. The concept of memes has also been applied to financial markets, leading to the phenomenon of "meme stocks," where share prices are driven by online buzz rather than company fundamentals.123