But wait... what about real life?

We know by now that the term "meme" was originally coined by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in 1976, adapting the Greek word mimeme (something imitated; pronounced "mimema") to explain the spread of ideas and cultural phenomena. Nowadays, the term is more commonly used to describe digital creations of various mediums that are passed electronically from internet user to internet user and are often adapted or remixed with each transfer.

Source

But whatever happened to memes before the internet? The term obviously existed well before the internet became so widespread, but where did they live during those prehistoric times?

One example you might remember was the popularity of the late Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter. His show was a big hit both in Australia and overseas (with particular success in America) during the early 2000s, and one would have been hard-pressed to find someone that did now know his name. But what was far more well-known were his iconic shouts of "Crikey!" upon sighting an animal in the wild or whenever a croc lunged. As a result, Irwin had people all over the world imitating him in everyday life.

In the same vein of nature programs, Sir David Attenborough's celebrated wildlife documentaries was another platform for the birth of a meme without the need for the internet. His recognisable British accent and the classic opening line "...and here we see the ____ in its natural habitat..." have been imitated and appropriated and again and again in popular culture. 

Source: EPA

Caleb has also discussed the creation of memes based on television shows, and Mel has written about Olympics memes which have spread via television and print media. Does this mean that memes always require such a medium - the internet, TV, print, radio - to carry them and allow them to spread? I would suggest not, but it certainly makes it a helluva lot easier.

What about another famous figure - Queen Elizabeth II. Her iconic wave - fingers together, arm unmoving, minimal wrist rotation - has come to symbolise the Queen as a person or royalty in general. Here is a meme that has spread (arguably) without the intervention of any medium.

What's interesting, particularly from a semiotics perspective, is the way in which words, phrases or the smallest of gestures can come to symbolise a person or idea. The term "meme" has truly reflects its Greek roots - the creation and growth of these ideas are catalysed by imitation and mimicry. The question is: what's required to elevate something like an expression or a wave to viral status of a meme? And what avenues exist that do not rely on the internet? This is definitely an area for further enquiry and research in the course of our feature.