[1_2__4]

Without commenting on what OP meant I would say memes definitely used to be more quirky and funny and lighthearted in general. Heck, originally calling them memes was because they stuck around and passed between people despite often being nonsensical. They tend to be more opinionated nowadays, and popular ones are usually topical, political, snarky, or all of the above. Not a random mistranslation of an old video game.

[tomc1985]

I don't know why this comment was downvoted into oblivion as you hit the nail on the head. If there is one thing I can think of that separates memeing 20 years ago from memeing today its that todays memes are far more expressive -- as if they are used as a substitute for conversation or discourse -- than funny. It seems they are overwhelmingly trying to express emotions than be lighthearted or funny.

I'm part of several gaming subreddits that hold an overly hostile view of the game's developers, and the number of memes used to stab or jab at said devs outnumbers old-school "funny" memes or even the more contemporary "shared experience" memes practically two-to-one.

Plus, there are all these unwritten social rules about meme templates, and indeed they seem to have their own economy of sorts.

Take everything together and it seems that memes are serious business, which is stupid if you ask me. Memes are supposed to be funny and lighthearted!

[Jon_Lowtek]

image macros have been around for 20 years as well

[NortySpock]

"Supposed to be" funny, sure, but this is drifting towards "funny sad" or just anger.

I think with all the frustration out there, urban red-state Millennials like myself are stuck expressing themselves in meme form since our congressional representatives (Missouri) appear to be chasing rural voters who think Biden is a scary socialist. One of these days I'll find time to grab a stamp and mail off a few memes on paper to my congressperson, since they don't seem to be reading my emails to them or listening to the voicemails I send them.

To wit: "If the money to feed, clothe, and house the homeless has to come from taxing Jeff Bezos... I'm not going to lose any sleep over that."

[tomc1985]

Just be careful their meaning isn't lost as I doubt your congresscritter is part of the in-group that would actually get them