Consuming memes has become another part of our everyday lives.

After spending years immersed in the ever-expanding world of online culture, scrolling through an endless stream of relatable and/or absurd content has become almost second nature. It is no longer just a way to pass the time; on the contrary, it is a necessary addition to whatever else we happen to be doing day-to-day. Just as we might start the morning by making coffee or performing a skincare routine, we instinctively reach for our phones for our next hit of random entertainment.

Despite the fact that we have built up such a consistent habit, boredom is rarely an option. In fact, many of us find that phone in bed time is one of the most highly anticipated parts of the day. Who cares about what it may be doing to our brains when it feels so mind-numbingly good to scroll for hours?

This accessibility is exactly what has allowed memes to go from strength to strength over many years. They require little effort to find, cost nothing to enjoy, and it doesn’t take that much time to send them on to a friend, either. In just a few seconds, a meme can bring another facet of entertainment to our lives that we may have never even thought about before. This combination of escapism and convenience has made meme consumption a lifeline for so many people, and so long as they keep being produced, it is going to stay that way.