The Internet Meme Culture

A new global phenomenon is changing the history of media in a major way. Millions of people are producing, altering and sharing “memes” — digital content comprised of stereotyped patterns. This “culture” is both inscribed within and shaping a new landscape ripe for a rich and complex investigation. For the first time, a phenomenon that is simultaneously global and local, pop and elitist; one that is constructed, mediated and structured by technology, can be observed with precision. Studying memes doesn’t just mean merely understanding the digital culture that produces them; we must also invent a new approach if we are to grasp the complexity of the creation and dissemination of these patterns on a global scale.