Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about relationships, personality, and everyday psychology. Memes, which are usually humorous and relatable images paired ...

Your brain is biologically wired for memes. Memes don’t just spread for fun; they tap into parts of the brain evolved to help us learn from others, develop skills, and adapt to our social environment.

When planes rammed into the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001, my college classmates and I stared at television screens in a combination of horror and disbelief. When we turned to the computers in our ...