Why do people like memes?

[Sherlock77]

Or maybe you like them... Why do you like them, I'd like to hear... I won't hold it against you

Those photos with quotes, etc... if you aren't fully aware (I'm sure you are)

I don't understand them, really don't like them much, don't understand what the point of them is...

What got me going on this? Social media where the majority of posts are memes, and I don't understand how or why people love them so much... They seem to love the memes more than when I post one of my photos ... Okay maybe that's part of the reason why I don't like memes

I just think they are rather shallow, and maybe I'm too much of a serious person...

Or...

 

[Slim Jim]

Because they're funny....usually. Good in small doses. Yeah, memes are really stupid. Hence; why they are so popular. It's love/hate with me.

Spoiler

Personal Trivia: I first heard about the concept; memes, memetic information, 20 years ago, watching sci fi channel at like 3am(?) in the morning. It must have made an impression, the guy who was speaking, because I never forgot it. I wish I could remember the rest of the program....

 

[Sherlock77]

Because they're funny....usually. Good in small doses. Yeah, memes are really stupid. Hence; why they are so popular. It's love/hate with me.

Spoiler

Personal Trivia: I first heard about the concept; memes, memetic information, 20 years ago, watching sci fi channel at like 3am(?) in the morning. It must have made an impression, the guy who was speaking, because I never forgot it. I wish I could remember the rest of the program....

And I'm not much of a humourist in general...

 

[Slim Jim]

Well, Im sure I appear as a clown to some people. But I can be serious...If I desire to do it. But with me, I just don't want to do it now. I'd rather laugh and joke around, than have a heavy intellectual discussion. I imagine that's how it is with most people. Hence: the love of memes. People just want some dumb fun.

 

[Au Naturel]

Or maybe you like them... Why do you like them, I'd like to hear... I won't hold it against you

Those photos with quotes, etc... if you aren't fully aware (I'm sure you are)

I don't understand them, really don't like them much, don't understand what the point of them is...

What got me going on this? Social media where the majority of posts are memes, and I don't understand how or why people love them so much... They seem to love the memes more than when I post one of my photos ... Okay maybe that's part of the reason why I don't like memes

I just think they are rather shallow, and maybe I'm too much of a serious person...

Or...

Good memes can be funny. They can be inspirational. Most of the time they are just shortcuts used to gloss over complex concepts. Visual soundbites.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Most of the time they are just shortcuts used to gloss over complex concepts. Visual soundbites.

Quite right. Remember that of all the people you see 1/2 of them have below average IQs. Memes allow one to spout something truthy without engaging one's brain like the meme I began this with.

 

[Slim Jim]

I don't think I've ever been inspired by a meme. That's like saying I was inspired by a fortune cookie. I was inspired by a piece of graffiti somebody scrawled. Alot of the good ones are always very witty. The rest are just trash.

 

[Slime_Punk]

I'm no fun; I think most of them are trash. I love jokes, but most memes are just low-ball humor and rarely ever tickle my funny bone. Even the 'insider' ones for special interests.

 

[Atrapa Almas]

I like memes because they are visual, and instant, usually makes fun of common life situations.

 

[Bolletje]

I like funny memes. I often use them when I’m either very tired or not in a great place, mentally. Sometimes they’re a good way for me to let a friend know I’m thinking of them when I don’t necessarily have the words.

I often use gifs in text conversations for the same reason. I have a lot of WhatsApp conversations with my best friend. We usually both type. But when we’re both tired she dictates all her messages and I respond in gifs and memes. Ah, the marvels of modern technology.

 

[Sherlock77]

Interesting thoughts...

I have often seen this, a Facebook group related to a talk radio show I enjoy... Once or twice a week I post a photo in the group (one I took of course), something nice... I get "some" attention, people who post memes, much of the group content, gets lots of attention! And that kind of bothers me, and I've never been into memes much to begin with...

But some of what is being said makes sense

 

[Fino]

I think certain kinds of them are funny, so I follow certain groups on tumblr to see those ones.

 

[SusanLR]

They can be funny.
I like the sarcastic ones best.
Like this:

 

[Knower of nothing]

Video format memes always been better.

 

[maycontainthunder]

Some are quite good...

 

[Neonatal RRT]

If the intent is humor only,...like a pun for example,...then they can be entertaining. However, many of these memes take some tiny kernel of truth, and then come up with some misrepresented, distorted, false narrative. I have this thing about "truth" and "facts" and "context" and "perspective",...and many memes,...even one-liner answers on social media just push my brain over the edge.

 

[Tom]

I like them because they give me a giggle, or chuckle. I share them in the hope they do that for someone else. I am pretty addicted to them so if they annoy anyone I am probably best just added to their ignor list. I am unable to stop.

 

[Progster]

I don't understand them, really don't like them much, don't understand what the point of them is...

I just think they are rather shallow, and maybe I'm too much of a serious person...

I often don't get them, or don't understand how the meme relates to the topic of conversation. I don't get them usually, because I'm missing some information: this could be because they are a reference to a movie/TV show/celebrity that I don't know, or because it's some sort of internet joke that I don't know, or an inside joke.
Another thing I don't get is when they show a picture of a person with a particular facial expression and may or may not have a caption. I'm just not that good at reading people's body language and expression.

Also, why are so many deliberately written with bad grammar or spelling? Is that supposed to be funny? I don't get that.

Having said that, some are genuinely funny and have a clever pun, I do like those ones.

 

[Rodafina]

I think they are wide open to misinterpretation.

And I find it annoying and cheap when the same picture is used over and over again for different memes.

Sometimes, funny, though.
More humor in the world is good.

 

[maycontainthunder]