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The Meme Master
What’s it like to look at memes all day? We asked Ricky Sans, head of memes at Meta.
Courtesy of Ricky Sans
What’s a meme?
Ricky says: “A meme is often a photo or video that you’ve seen before, like a movie clip or comic. But it has text added that describes how you’re feeling.”
You probably spend a few hours scrolling through social media every day. You watch funny videos, comment on photos, and send friends goofy memes. Time seems to fly! You might even think, “I could do this all day!”
If you’ve ever wondered what that would be like, ask Ricky Sans. He’s the head of memes at Meta, which owns Instagram. While this involves spending a lot of time on social media, that’s not all Ricky does. We talked to him about his fascinating job.
Shutterstock.com
More than 1 million posts mentioning “meme” are shared to Instagram each day.
What does the head of memes do?
I support people who want to make memes online. This means I find and meet with different meme creators. I work to build a community so they can connect and inspire one another.
Why are memes important?
I think it’s cool that anyone can create a meme and share what it means to them. Memes help people express themselves. I think in 20 years, memes may even be in museums!
How did you find this job?
I actually started out in comedy. At the time, YouTube was pretty new. I became obsessed with watching people make funny videos and post them online. This inspired me to work as a video producer at BuzzFeed. That job involved working with a lot of online creators, which is what I still do today!
Curtis Baker/Netflix (Stranger Things); Shutterstock.com (All Other Images)
What would people be surprised to know about your work?
Most people think, “Oh, you work with memes! That’s fun!” It is, but it’s still work. I plan events that bring meme creators together. I also spend time reading about what’s happening in the world. Part of my job is knowing what is popular online at any moment, or what is about to be popular. That can be challenging to figure out.
Be honest: Do you ever get sick of being online?
I do need to take 30-minute breaks! I try to go for walks or meet up with friends in real life.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your 13-year-old self?
Don’t be afraid to try something because it’s not traditional. Today people work as pro gamers and meme creators. Years ago, nobody thought that would be possible! Never be embarrassed of who you are and what you enjoy.
ACTIVITY:
Mini Skills Workout
What to do: Write your answers to the questions below on a separate sheet of paper.
Ricky says it’s OK to try things that aren’t traditional. Think of another word for traditional.
What are two jobs that Ricky says didn’t seem possible in the past?
Find a sentence where Ricky describes how he takes a break from work.