Are internet memes becoming the folklore of the digital age?

The answer

The term meme was coined by Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene to describe units of cultural transmission, analogous to genes. Internet memes now function as digital folklore - shared narratives, in-jokes, and cultural references that create group identity. Researchers at University College London's Digital Ethnography Centre have documented how memes follow traditional folklore patterns: they mutate through retelling, carry moral messages, and reinforce community boundaries. The Know Your Meme database catalogs over 25,000 documented memes. Studies show memes spread through the same networks as traditional oral tales, with central nodes acting as modern storytellers. Political memes influenced elections in the US, Brazil, and India, demonstrating their power as persuasion tools.