What does the word "meme" mean now?

[Razgovory]

I know what it used to mean, but modern usage perplexes me.  I was watching videos on Youtube and I hear the word "meme" used in weird ways.  Watching a Total war: Warhammer 2 video the Youtuber says "unless you go with a meme army".  Watching a HOI4 video (I watch PC game videos a lot) the Youtuber says  a certain focus tree is a meme and that naval invasion through allies is possible but "meme-y"  The best I could come up with is meme = joke, but it only partially fits.

[The Brain]

LINGIST

[Josquius]

I remember back in the day before the Internet was really all dominant and satellite TV was the hot new thing... There was a little short documentary on the Sci fi channel about memes and what they were, I remember a cool take away of whether our civilization is really ours or the memes. Really analysing the meaning of the word and getting all philosophical before Internet memes were really much of a thing.

These days it tends to just mean Internet humour. Mostly stuff using estatablished pattern stock images but then that always has to start somewhere and even new and failed stuff gets the label.

In the context you're talking of, certain warhammer armies being meme armies, it means stuff that is well known online for being cheap and powerful. Eg in Football Manager you always sign a few certain players as they're just unquestionably bargains you're an idiot not to get with a new game.

You also get stuff like meme stocks such as the gamestop thing. Which takes on a different meaning again as its not necessarily good stuff.

[Admiral Yi]

I would say internet + repetition.

[Jacob]

My take:

Meme = image or concept repeated over and over again, usual with a gesture at humour, often laying self-referential variation on top of self-referential variation.

"Meme army" = army based on a gimmick or over-repetition of a theme.

"A bit meme-y" = unserious, leaning heavily into niche theme, done for "the lolz" much like many memes

There's a bit of a thread there, I think, which is unseriously leaning into a gimmick.

[Darth Wagtaros]

"Killroy was here" was the first.

[Valmy]

My take:

Meme = image or concept repeated over and over again, usual with a gesture at humour, often laying self-referential variation on top of self-referential variation.

"Meme army" = army based on a gimmick or over-repetition of a theme.

"A bit meme-y" = unserious, leaning heavily into niche theme, done for "the lolz" much like many memes

There's a bit of a thread there, I think, which is unseriously leaning into a gimmick.

Yeah this is my understanding as well.

[crazy canuck]

My take:

Meme = image or concept repeated over and over again, usual with a gesture at humour, often laying self-referential variation on top of self-referential variation.

"Meme army" = army based on a gimmick or over-repetition of a theme.

"A bit meme-y" = unserious, leaning heavily into niche theme, done for "the lolz" much like many memes

There's a bit of a thread there, I think, which is unseriously leaning into a gimmick.

Yeah this is my understanding as well.

For the memes - I have had explained to me means doing something in an intentionally silly lighthearted (as opposed to harmful) way.  I learned this when my son explained he was doing something "for the memes" and I had to ask...

[Razgovory]

Well, thank God I'm not the only one who didn't understand this shit.

[Valmy]

Well, thank God I'm not the only one who didn't understand this shit.

The whole term is a meme. How ironic.