A recent call-out by The Guardian has sparked a lively debate among its readership, asking a simple yet divisive question: what is, or was, the best internet meme of all time? The responses, published on Sunday 4 January, paint a vivid picture of the digital artefacts that have captured the global imagination, from the iconic to the absurd.
A Pantheon of Viral Classics
The suggestions covered nearly two decades of internet culture. One reader immediately championed the crazy frog meme as the obvious winner. Others fondly recalled the early viral video of a dramatic chipmunk and the endlessly adaptable Distracted Boyfriend image from 2017. The wholesome sneezing baby panda and the surreal Badger Badger Badger animation by Jonti Picking (Mr Weebl) also received honourable mentions.
Feline antics proved perennially popular. Readers highlighted the cat typing furiously at a keyboard, the legendary cat in a shark costume riding a Roomba, and the perfectly paired "woman yelling at a cat" diptych. "The joy is in the interpretation," noted one contributor, referring to the white cat's impeccably smug expression.
Doge, Rickrolls, and Accidental Comedy
No meme retrospective would be complete without Doge, the Shiba Inu named Kabosu whose internal monologue sparked a linguistic revolution. "It's a throwback to a more innocent time on the internet. Wow. Such meme," one reader nostalgically wrote.
The practice of Rickrolling also garnered praise for its astonishing longevity, amusing a new generation of teens years after Rick Astley's original song was released. Meanwhile, the accidental comedy of the "I'm not a cat" lawyer during a Zoom court hearing was flagged as a timeless pick-me-up.
Timeless Reactions and Cultural Touchstones
The poll also surfaced memes that function as universal digital shorthand. The "This is fine" dog sitting in a burning room was cited as a perfect metaphor for modern life. Other favourites included the "Hello, World!" programming greeting, the profound simplicity of the "I like turtles" zombie kid, and the enduring nonsense of the classic video game mistranslation: "All your base are belong to us."
The collective trip down memory lane prompted one reader to muse, "Does this mean that the internet is nearly over if we're looking at 'best ofs'?!" Whether a sign of maturity or simply a celebration of shared joy, the responses confirm that in the chaotic expanse of the web, a well-timed cat picture or a bizarre cultural glitch can unite us all in laughter.
