Internet memes have been a fixture in social media culture since the introduction of social media platforms, and with almost anything viral this day immortalized in meme form, VICE points out that the first actual meme was introduced in a comic strip from the University of Iowa’s satirical magazine The Judge from 1921.
The 97-year-old comic strip is suggested to be the first recorded use of the popular “What You Think You Look Like vs. What You Actually Look Like” meme, where a two-pane image illustrates the discrepancy between one’s own self-image and outside perceptions of physical attractiveness.
Interestingly, a PDF of the original Judge issue digitized by Google is available to view here, and that proof further suggests that it’s legitimate, since the comic is surrounded by poetry and jokes that are also relevant to the problems of modern life.
Check out a few internet reactions of the vintage meme below.
Now, don’t forget to share your thoughts as well in the comments below. For the full story, head on over to VICE.
Also, in case you missed it, Kanye West and Timothée Chalomet feature in Twitter’s latest meme obsession.
- Source: Vice
