I remember a different internet. I thought the most viral stuff was a guy shoving a glass jar into his ass which then broke. And we all nervously laughed as he pulled glass out of his now pissing bloody sphincter. Or two girls puking and shitting into a cup which they drink. Or cake farts. Lemon parties. Goatse. Or just ddos random sites something something fire some space lazer ion cannon thing occupy!
Or meat spinning
What about the memes that South Park made fun of years ago?
Star Wars kid
Dramatic look gopher
Tron guy
Etc.
Memes are as old as humanity, so Internet memes are as old as the Internet, starting ca. 1993.
Yep. Really comes down to how you want to define "internet meme" -- memes do not need a visual.
One of the oldest memes I can think of is the term spam. It dates back to Usenet.
A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.