Meme culture developed within last 10 to 15 years in the current form. Even if the term of meme is not that new, the form and content are new. We can think meme culture as a newborn baby in 1976 which it’s first usage. But that baby was frozen and waiting for something to give it life and that something turns out to be internet. In the middle of 90’s that child come to alive and started growing.
Firstly, it was empty jokes to make people laugh and didn’t show any sign of intelligence in it. Everybody used that concept and tried to create a funny image and text but that didn’t work well. About 15 years later in 2010’s with the Facebook, Reddit and 4-Chan’s massive popularities individual meme production ended and just like the word’s core imitation of successful started. Around those times meme culture reached a peak which only increased even after 12 years.
Just like every popular thing memes also started to use as a political concept. It posed a strength that old generations are not able to understand. A powerful joke about politics with smart side always has a standalone impact and influence over people but when it comes to new media and memes, they surpassed X and Y generations understanding of the power on satire.
90’s generation become flagmen of this new sarcastic criticism of politics, ideas and world which changed world’s understanding on protest.