I've often thought about it, why memes are so important. The one piece of empirical evidence I have is that when I try to discuss what's happening just using words and arguments, so often you can see / feel / here the resistance. But when you send a meme, it triggers an emotional response.. sometimes laughter sometimes anger. But I can tell you at least three times where I had a contentious fight with my wife about a particular topic but later sent a meme related to it and somehow she either came around or at least was willing to talk.