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.

What's in a meme?

Source: Getty Images

The Olympics have come and gone for 2012 and all that we are left with is the sting of defeat and an abundance of silver medals. But one thing endures the two weeks spent in front of the couch, sacrificing sleep and throwing off our body clocks: the memes. Seeing me through the games of the XXX Olympiad was a companion Facebook page appropriately titled 'Olympic Memes' which commented on everything Olympic related, from long and unpronounceable last names, to captioned  sports action shots and everything in between.

16 year old gymnast from the United States, McKayla Maroney, shot to internet stardom when her now famous scowl after being awarded the silver medal (she was expected to win the gold) made its way onto Tumblr, her 'not impressed' face superimposed into the background of historical or spectacular scenes.

Source: Flickr

McKayla is not impressed has shown us that no one is safe from the trolls and internet enthusiasts out there. Anyone or anything has the potential to become a meme. Take for instance Zeddie Little who you probably know better as 'Ridiculously Photogenic Guy'. Little was snapped amongst a pack of runners at an annual marathon, his Colgate smile, charm and effortlessness while running 10km in South Caroline heat became the perfect formula to creating a successful meme and generated growth through the platform Reddit.

Memes were once centred around popular culture and fandoms (see 'One does not simply walk into Mordor', 'Conspiracy Keanu' and 'Strutting Leo'), forming somewhat of a subculture of meme-makers and appreciators worldwide where only certain people 'in the know' or with the right knowledge could understand the references made but now the internet is looking broader for inspiration. Memes are becoming more universal in their content (anything from a global event such as the Olympics or the Royal Wedding can bring about new memes - meaning more people can understand and appreciate memes) and also being more accessible for those who wish to create or generate their own meme.

I think it's important for us to define what exactly a meme is (although sometimes problematic given the dynamic movement of the internet) and how it differentiates from viral material on YouTube. In an article by the BBC, Chris Quigley, the organiser of a meme sharing meeting in London states, "A meme is a cultural thing that is re-mixed and changed by the community."So something like the Nyan Cat video which has over 82 million views on YouTube is viral because of its reach and spread but it is when users take the original and change, morph and mould it into their own tastes, is when it becomes a meme.

This links back to the original meaning of the word meme (mind was blown when Fiona told us) coined by Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene (1976) as a concept for evolutionary principles in explaining the spread of ideas and cultural phenomena (he gives the example of melodies and catch-phrases LOL and fershunz fashion). Memes evolve through the process of variation, mutation, competition and inheritance - which influence a memes repetitive success. Memes that cultivate less become extinct while others can flourish through circulation and mutation. Sound familiar?