Whether using biblical quotes or placing black and white text over an image of a cat, Western society has long used “memes” as cultural shorthand; a means of expressing complex emotions and wit in as few words or images as possible. Half historical analysis, half critical media theory, this keynote charts the evolution of how common stories, stories that form the backbone of our culture, are employed, deployed and remixed to become a part of our common discourse. At its core, this keynote explores the memes, especially those online, that both enrich the communicative practice of social media gurus while at the same time setting boundaries on what and how we think about the world around us.