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A ‘meme’ is a neologism which gains frequent use within a culture or society. Nowhere is this more evident than on the Internet. With social networking and sites like Digg and Reddit, members of these societies regularly exchange views and comments. However, a certain phrase of situation can lead to the rise of a popular Internet meme.

There are many names for the rise of a meme – such as the ‘Bandwagon effect’ or ‘Herd instinct’. The first stage of an Internet meme is as a catchphrase or concept that become apparent in a small society. If it appeals to the society enough, the society itself will begin to use it individually, using the catchphrase in situation outside of its intended medium.

The use of the meme rapidly expands with more people using it in other networking sites. The meme then becomes widespread- people will parody it or use it completely out of context, in places where it will not make sense. The meme is now so bloated with the number of people using it in hundreds of situations or comments that to an outsider, unfamiliar to the meme, will find comment threats complete nonsense, and they will unable to understand them, simply because they have not followed the rise of the meme.

After some tome the meme will fade, as people move on to new memes and the old one becomes dated and commonplace. This is found in the mainstream media, such as news broadcasts. These ‘buzzwords’ will have been commonly used in the deeper levels of the Internet for so long that by the time the media catches on and they are used massively in society, the Internet has moved on. Some examples include ‘blog’ and ‘phishing’.

Memes can be used to advertise – an example of viral marketing. Just why the people who make up the Internet so susceptible to such memes is down to the removal of normal cultural barriers. A conversation is not needed to discuss topics so a person surfing the Internet is free to view what they wish when they wish, without having to guide a conversation. This means a much larger spectrum of information is absorbed and the more ridiculous pieces will stay in the mind. The spread of a meme is down to the removal of a proper identity on the Internet – a person is free to be a crazy person, and is free to spread the meme anywhere.