They started to get called memes because the term meme itself is just “an idea or behavior that spreads through non-genetic means.” Everything you share online is, by that definition, a meme. The only thing that humans do that isn’t a meme is have children or spread disease.
This is mostly likely the placebo effect. If people believe is a meme, it can have humorous effects even if is not really a meme.
They started to get called memes because the term meme itself is just “an idea or behavior that spreads through non-genetic means.” Everything you share online is, by that definition, a meme. The only thing that humans do that isn’t a meme is have children or spread disease.