Before I start listing the effects of memes, let me explain what memes are. The concept of memes began in 1976 when Richard Dawkins introduced the term in his book The Selfish Gene. The concept of internet memes began in the 2000s.
You've all likely crossed paths with internet memes before. They spread like a global pandemic, travelling from one person to another; and in mere seconds it can become a global sensation.
Internet memes usually consist of a joke and/or a funny image. They can influence a large amount of youths today and shape them into the person they are and will become. Because they are so trendy, we need to be more aware of the types of memes shared on the internet and the damages it can do.
1. Influence On the English Language
I first noticed this problem when I was composing a story. Instead of writing "should've", I wrote "should of". This caused me to realize that reading too much writings with horrible spelling can reflect in one's own writing. With the increase in these memes that have horrid spelling, youths that spend large amount of time on the internet can be easily confused as to what is the correct and what is not.
2. Influence on Perception
At some point scrolling through our Facebook news feeds or the thousands of memes on the popular social media site 9GAG, you've all seen a racist or anti-homosexual meme. While some might argue that these memes are just for humour and not intended to spread hate, they still have a large impact on how the youths today see the world around them.
If you scroll through a popular Facebook post or a popular Youtube video at any given time, chances are you will encounter an argument. While these internet arguments might seem harmless, and sometimes even humorous, some are quite disturbing. I have seen posts where almost every racist and homophobic insults are used.
Memes might not be the only source that contributed to the negative influences of the youths today, but it is certainly a large slice of the pie.
3. Time Management
This one might be the most obvious one. Large amount of youths today spend a large amount of time on the internet. Most of them are spending their time video gaming or browsing to find interesting contents too look at (e.g. memes). I once caught myself scrolling through 9GAG for hours without taking a break, and I'm sure quiet a few people would tell me that they had done that themselves. Memes are like an addictive drug: the more you read, the better they seem to get.
If reading memes are your way of killing free time, then there shouldn't be a big problem (although you could probably use that time to do something productive); however, if hours are spent reading memes while you should be working, then there would be a conflict.
Nowadays, I often hear my fellow colleagues complain about not having enough time to study for tests. When I ask them what they did over the weekend before, the likely answer is "I was on the internet". I am aware being on the internet doesn't necessarily mean reading memes, but it would not be ridiculous to assume that they probably spent a good portion doing that.
In conclusion, I may be just a youth myself, but I can already see the problem forming through my personal experiences. You may not agree with everything I wrote and may think I am just "butt-hurt", but one thing is for sure: memes play a large role on the lives of many youths today.
