Memes In The Selfish Gene By Richard Dawkins

In 1976, Richard Dawkins wrote his book The Selfish Gene. Dawkins invented the word “meme” to explain how cultural information spreads (Gleick). In recent years, the Millennial Generation has used a concept of Dawkins meme called the internet meme to create short phrases affixed to a picture to express emotions. As social media has evolved over the past ten years, so have memes. Memes have become a type of social outlet used by Millennials in order to express their feelings in a humorous or satirical manner. These memes have become staples on social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Some popular memes found across these social networks are “Willy Wonka”, “Grumpy Cat”, and “Unhelpful High School Teacher.” The “Unhelpful High School Teacher"

The school teacher is calling out students for lacking manners. She represents all authority figures who have dealt with the rudeness of the Millennial generation. These authority figures could be parents, teachers, bosses, grandparents, and even law enforcement officials. Adults in positions of authority have seen the gradual decline of repeat shown on behalf of teenagers. Teens have stopped using terms such as “ma’am” and “sir.” They no longer address adults as “Mr.”, “Ms.”, or “Mrs.” Instead, they treat their elders like their friends. Young people have begun to think it is socially acceptable to talk back to adults when it is not at all appropriate. The meme uses an authority figure to take a stand, but it was depicted in a witty manner. The meme’s author uses humor to lighten the subject and communicate his point to the younger generations in a way that they can easily comprehend. It is for this very reason that the meme has gone viral on various social media platforms. The virulence of the “unhelpful high school teacher” will hopefully awaken the Millennials to the reality that people of age deserve total