It Is What It Is Meme

It isn’t easy to pinpoint precisely when and why it started, although its origin remains a mystery. While other popular phrases have their roots in written works or poetry, this meme has spread via viral online content.

This term first debuted in a viral video of teenagers laughing while repeating this phrase, with its audio now becoming a trendy soundtrack for short videos on TikTok.

Definition

Memes are ideas, behaviors, or styles quickly spreading within a culture. Their name comes from the Greek mime meaning imitation; evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins popularized this term in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene to explain how cultural ideas spread similarly to genes within populations. Memes can act like viruses – quickly replicating and changing over time.

Memes may not have an exact definition, but generally speaking, they refer to an image or video that depicts an idea or concept and can be shared across social media platforms. Memes develop over time by adapting and changing to reflect new information or trends.

Memes are catchphrases, ideas, or behaviors that have become widely accepted within a culture and become part of its fabric. Common memes include phrases such as “it is what it is” or sayings like “to the moon.” Memes can also include songs, dance moves, or images used to express emotions or create comedy.

Memes can also be used to support or criticize specific individuals or events; this form of meme, known as parody, ranges from harmless humor to more serious social commentary. Meme’s popularity has inspired websites like Know Your Meme (KYM), which provides context for online expressions of this nature.

Origin

Memes are images or videos that have gone viral online and relate to a particular context, whether funny, sarcastic, relatable, or incredible! Memes can range from hilarious cat memes to hidden camera shots of someone eating in an airplane seat! Richard Dawkins first popularized this term in his book The Selfish Gene, which refers to units of cultural imitation that pass from person to person – often called artistic “genes” because they can replicate independently of traditional genes through cultural mutation.

Its source remains elusive, though its start may have begun with a viral video featuring several teenagers laughing while one says, “It is what it is,” followed by repeating it. Since then, the video has become immensely popular on TikTok lipsync memes and other social media platforms.

This popular meme illustrates its message of accepting things as they are and not spending energy trying to alter them. The sentiment can also be found in the Persian phrase fihi ma fihi, which means precisely the same thing and can often be seen when discussing losses in sports.

Meaning

The “it is what it is a meme” refers to a verbal shrug that signals acceptance of situations that cannot be changed. This phrase has been utilized across various industries such as sports, politics, business, and military – even featured in books and a 2001 movie! However, its popularity gained significant momentum following President George W. Bush’s press secretary using it when responding to inquiries regarding Dick Cheney’s hunting accident and Britney Spears driving with her infant son on her lap.

The term “meme” comes from the Greek mimema, meaning “imitation.” British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins coined this term in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene. He proposed that cultural ideas like tunes and dances could be transmitted like genes are, playing an integral role in human evolution.

Though it is what it is meme has been around for decades, its recent internet resurgence made headlines only recently. Initially used to refer to any phenomenon that spreads rapidly among a group, the phrase has since come to be applied in other contexts, such as discussing an individual’s behavior or even mockery or ridicule in jokes and satire.

Etymology

Richard Dawkins first coined the term “meme” in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene to emphasize how memes can spread like wildfire across cultures. Memes can take many forms, including video, images, and text; Dawkins intended the word to echo genes as both can be passed from generation to generation; they can even lie dormant for long periods before reappearing later.

Memes have become an Internet phenomenon, though the concept has existed throughout history in varying forms. Due to the accessibility of information, new ways for cultures and subcultures to connect within digital platforms like social media. Memes can often contain humorous or relatable messages and can often be found there too.

Memes don’t quite live up to their genetic analogy in one crucial way: accuracy. While genes reproduce identical copies of themselves, memes act more like a game of telephone, with each new participant adding their interpretation and spin to what was initially written down – leading to unexpected results that can differ drastically from what was intended – for instance, the sideways smiley had come to symbolize anger when originally it was meant as an amused expression.