By Michaiah Varnes//
Have you ever sent a meme to a friend instead of a heartfelt message, or have you ever had your grandma keep repeating jargon you are not familiar with? Congratulations, you are part of a cultural phenomenon that’s reshaping how we express emotion, process trauma, and procrastinate on homework.
Memes are not just internet jokes anymore. They are emotional time capsules, and each generation has its own flavor of funny.
Ariel Richter, a freshman at Hood College, said her favorite meme is the “hundred-yard stare,” which humorously depicts a person who is mentally checked out or dissociated due to overwhelming social interactions or boredom.
Richter noted that she particularly enjoys face reaction memes found in TikTok comment sections. She explored the role of memes in reflecting the Gen Z experience. “Especially with COVID and major political events happening, memes are a good place to find comedy and relief,” she said.
Similarly, Ajja Kallo, a Frederick resident, said, “I think memes definitely reflect how our generation feels. They show our humor, struggles, and the way we deal with things.”
Marene Pearl, a baby boomer, said her generation relates to memes were about a character named Maxine. The a fictional elderly woman from Hallmark cards, known for her sarcastic and grumpy humor, was created by John Wagner in 1986, who was inspired by his aunts and grandmother.
Memes: The Mood Rings of the Internet
Memes have evolved from simple image pictures with captions into a wide range of online jokes, videos, and trends that people use to share humor and ideas. They are the digital equivalent of shouting into the void —with punchlines. Whether it’s a cat vibing to lo-fi beats, Love Island jokes, or a deep-fried image of SpongeBob screaming into the abyss, memes reflect how we’re really doing.
Spoiler: not that great, but we’re laughing anyway.
Boomers: The Minion Meme Era
Boomers gravitate toward cheerful, no-nonsense, the kind that feels like a warm hug with a side of coffee. Picture a Minion chirping, “Coffee first, adulting second” in Comic Sans font style, right next to a classic line like “Rise and Shine!” or “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”
These memes radiate optimism, often doubling as motivational pep talks with a dash of confusion. It’s humor rooted in a generation raised on sitcom laugh tracks and newspaper comics, where the punchline was obvious and life’s messiness stayed politely offstage.
Millennials: The Burnout Brigade
Millennials brought us the golden age of reaction gifs, Vine references, and “adulting is hard” memes. Their humor is self-deprecating, nostalgic, and tinged with existential dread.
Millennials grew up with dial-up internet and economic recessions, so their memes often scream, “I’m tired, but I’m trying.” Think “me IRL” posts and endless variations of “this is fine.”
Gen Z: Chaos Is the Brand
Gen Z memes are a whole different beast. They’re surreal, ironic, and often completely incomprehensible to anyone over 25.
Deep-fried images, funny TikTok audio trends, and memes that look like a sleep-deprived raccoon made them are all fair game. Their humor reflects a world that feels increasingly unstable, so why not laugh at the absurdity?
Memes have become a coping mechanism.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw a surge in quarantine memes, Zoom fails, and toilet paper jokes.
As climate anxiety, student debt, and political chaos loom large, memes offer a way to process the madness.
They are therapy for many, free, and often sought after.
Of course, where the youth go, brands follow. Companies now hire “meme managers” to make their products go viral.
Politicians use memes to connect with voters. Activists use them to spread messages. Memes have become a currency of relevance, and everyone wants a piece of it.
As we barrel toward an uncertain future, one thing is clear: memes aren’t going anywhere.
They keep evolving from generation to generation; they reflect our hopes, dreams, fears, and a weird sense of humor.
Maybe in 2040, memes will just be a single pixel that somehow conveys the entire emotional spectrum. Until then, keep laughing. It’s cheaper than therapy!
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