Writer or robot? What the meme really means to us

What’s your verdict? Is this piece written by a human, or by our trusty ChatGPT buddy?

Unless you’ve made a point of avoiding popular internet culture (and even then, you can’t have escaped entirely), memes will undoubtedly form part and parcel of the content you consume every day. From the classic ‘distracted boyfriend’ to that dress debacle – it was white and gold, definitely – the best memes are customisable, amusing little snapshots of what it means to be a human.

In reality, the majority focus on the most banal and even unsavoury sides of human nature. So why do we love them so much? Well, with current world affairs weighing a heavy load on our everyday lives, a good meme provides 3 shareable feelings that we all crave from time to time…

Validation. We scroll, we read meme, we chuckle, we’re satisfied. Why? Because we understood! That little Instagram square houses a wealth of cultural, political and social zeitgeist and we understood the reference. For now, we can relax – we’re on top of all things current and hip.

Belonging. Human habits can be weird – really weird. Memes are a way of talking about our strangest quirks, without having to talk about them at all. We’re not alone in our strangeness, after all. Phew.

Relief. A meme’s content often addresses complex and difficult subject matters. Polarising political debates, social stressors and the darker side of human nature all tend to find their way into our most relatable social shares. Humorising these topics helps us feel lighter, if only for a moment or two.

So there we have it – a finger on the pulse of exactly why memes are everywhere, and a strong hint that they’re going nowhere soon. As long as the most creative content creators continue to up their game, the humble meme can continue its job in bringing us together, making us feel better and providing a sprinkling of solace on those harder human days.

At The Contented Agency, we understand the challenges brands face in making impactful, high-spec, and timely content. We’ll listen with an eager ear, challenge you (kindly) and collaborate for truly excellent content. We love the tricky briefs as much as the straightforward ones; so say hello to the team and let’s talk!