The Meme-ification of News: How Current Events Get Transformed Into Memes

Welcome to the wild world of the internet, where serious news stories get squished down to meme size faster than you can say “viral.” What once was a global crisis or major political move is now turned into a meme that has everyone laughing and shaking their heads.

1. Bernie Sanders, The Meme King

You remember it. Bernie Sanders, at the 2021 inauguration, sitting in his chair, arms crossed, wearing that iconic pair of mittens. That photo instantly exploded into countless memes. From him sitting in every imaginable place, to being photoshopped into ridiculous scenes (like sitting on the Iron Throne), Bernie quickly became a meme king of the political world. And honestly, who wouldn’t want to chill in mittens through an inauguration?

I am once again asking Bernie Sanders Meme

2. “This Is Fine” – 2020’s Mood in One Meme

The “This Is Fine” dog in a burning room meme became the perfect representation of 2020. The world was falling apart, but we were all just sitting there like, “This is fine.” It hit every tragic but hilarious moment that year—pandemic? Fine. Wildfires? Fine. The entire world spiraling? Also fine.

This is fine meme template

4. “Is This a Pigeon?” – Political Confusion in One Frame

Remember when that classic anime scene, “Is This a Pigeon?” became the meme to express confusion about political situations? Suddenly, you had people captioning the image with everything from “Is this a tax hike?” to “Is this a pandemic policy?” Perfect for capturing those “wait, what just happened?” moments in the news.

Is this a butterfly meme template

5. The “Karen” Meme – When Outrage Goes Viral

Ah, the Karen meme. It started as a way to call out entitled people demanding to speak to a manager, but it turned into a meme that captured people’s frustration with everything from social distancing to political rallies. Whether it was “Karen” screaming at a retail employee or giving bad Yelp reviews, this meme gave people an outlet to laugh at the absurdity of entitled behavior.

Upload a meme template yourself on DankTank

So, there you have it. The world’s problems turned into laugh-out-loud moments. Memes aren’t just for fun—they’re the internet’s way of saying, “I see you, I get it, and here’s a meme to help you survive it.” Check them out over at DankTank