The internet is an unpredictable place, with new trends and viral sensations emerging almost daily. One of the more surprising trends of recent years is the rise of WikiHow memes. WikiHow, a website known for its straightforward, step-by-step instructional guides on just about everything, has unintentionally become a source of meme-worthy content. Users have taken the often bizarre illustrations and text from WikiHow articles and transformed them into hilarious, surreal, and sometimes absurd memes. In this article, we will explore the world of WikiHow memes, how they came to be, why theyβre so popular, and what makes them a unique part of internet culture.
What Are WikiHow Memes?
WikiHow memes are images, usually sourced from the illustrations accompanying WikiHow articles, that have been repurposed for humorous or satirical content. The typical WikiHow guide includes a series of drawings that visually explain how to accomplish a task. These images, often out of context, can seem overly simplistic, awkward, or unintentionally funny, making them perfect fodder for meme creators.
The basic structure of a WikiHow meme involves taking an image from a WikiHow article and pairing it with a caption, usually completely unrelated to the original articleβs intent. The result is a juxtaposition of earnest, helpful imagery with absurd or ironic text, leading to an amusing and often surreal meme.
How Did WikiHow Memes Start?
The origins of WikiHow memes can be traced back to the widespread availability of free, quirky illustrations from the WikiHow platform. Meme creators quickly realized that the illustrations had a certain charm that, when paired with funny or nonsensical captions, made for highly shareable content.
The rise of meme culture on social media platforms like Reddit, Instagram, and Twitter accelerated the spread of WikiHow memes. Dedicated threads and groups began forming around the concept, where users would share their favorite re-imagined WikiHow images. The absurdity of taking mundane instructional images out of context led to an explosion of creativity, with memes becoming a major part of internet culture by the mid-2010s.
Why Are WikiHow Memes So Popular?
Several factors contribute to the popularity of WikiHow memes:
- Relatability: The basic premise of a WikiHow guide is to offer advice or instructions on common, everyday tasks. When these illustrations are paired with humorous or relatable captions, they can connect with a wide audience, making them highly shareable.
- Surreal Humor: The out-of-context nature of WikiHow images, combined with offbeat captions, creates a kind of absurdity that many people find funny. This type of surreal humor has a broad appeal in online communities.
- Simplicity: Meme culture often relies on the simplicity of the joke. WikiHow illustrations are designed to be clear and straightforward, which makes them easy to edit and repurpose into memes. This simplicity adds to the charm and ease with which users can create their own versions.
- Nostalgia Factor: For many internet users, WikiHow has been a go-to resource for years. Seeing familiar illustrations in a new, humorous light adds a sense of nostalgia and fun, further contributing to their viral success.
Popular Types of WikiHow Memes
Over the years, WikiHow memes have taken many forms, each reflecting different styles of humor. Here are some of the most common categories:
Absurdist Memes
One of the most popular genres of WikiHow memes is absurdist humor. This involves taking a normal WikiHow illustration and pairing it with a caption that is completely nonsensical or bizarre. For example, an image from an article about learning to bake might be captioned with something totally unrelated, like “How to summon a demon using leftover cake batter.” The randomness and absurdity are what make these memes so funny.
Relatable Life Struggles
Many WikiHow memes revolve around common human experiences and struggles, with the meme poking fun at mundane or awkward situations. An image from an article on dealing with stress might become a meme reflecting the struggle to stay calm during a chaotic Zoom meeting.
Dark Humor
Dark humor memes have also found a home within the world of WikiHow memes. These memes take seemingly innocent images and caption them with dark, ironic, or existential humor. For example, a meme might turn an image of someone helping a friend into a joke about assisting with a deeper emotional struggle.
Out-of-Context Captions
Out-of-context humor is a staple of the meme world, and WikiHowβs images provide plenty of material for this genre. By pairing an illustration with a caption that is completely unrelated to its original purpose, meme creators tap into the humor of misunderstanding or misinterpretation.
The Role of Social Media in the Spread of WikiHow Memes
Social media largely drives the viral nature of WikiHow memes.
In addition to user-generated content, many brands and marketers have adopted the WikiHow meme format for their own social media campaigns, leveraging the humor and relatability to engage with younger audiences.
FAQs
1. What exactly are WikiHow memes?
WikiHow memes use illustrations from WikiHow articles paired with unrelated, funny captions to create humorous images.
2. Why are WikiHow memes so popular?
WikiHow memes are popular because of their simplicity, relatability, and the contrast between earnest instructional images and absurd captions. Their humorous twist on everyday experiences resonates with a wide audience.
3. Where can I find WikiHow memes?
You can find WikiHow memes on various social media platforms like Reddit, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
4. Can I make my own WikiHow memes?
Yes! Many users create their own WikiHow memes by selecting illustrations from the WikiHow website and pairing them with their own funny or absurd captions. Meme creation tools and Photoshop can help with this.
5. Is WikiHow okay with its images being used for memes?
WikiHow has generally taken a neutral stance toward the creation of memes using their illustrations. Although the images are intended for educational purposes, people view their use in memes as part of internet culture.
Conclusion
WikiHow memes have taken a seemingly mundane source of information and transformed it into a cornerstone of internet humor. By repurposing WikiHowβs instructional illustrations in unexpected and often hilarious ways, meme creators have given rise to a viral trend that continues to entertain and engage audiences across social media platforms. Whether through absurdist humor, relatable struggles, or dark comedy, WikiHow memes have carved out a unique niche in the ever-growing world of internet memes. And as long as people keep needing instructions on everything from tying shoelaces to managing stress, the raw material for more WikiHow memes will keep coming.
