> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://hyperallergic.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Top 40 Memes of 2011
- URL: https://hyperallergic.com/top-40-memes-2011/
- Published: 2011-12-28T20:43:49.000Z
- Updated: 2025-11-24T16:19:26.000Z
- Description: Know Your Meme compiles the top 40 memes of 2011, including #5 Pepper Spraying Cop.
- Author: Hrag Vartanian
- Tags: Opinion, #image-position-hidden, Memes, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2025-11-17 09:23 (2009-2011)

Know Your Meme compiles the [top 40 memes of 2011](http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/the-40-best-memes-of-2011?ref=hyperallergic.com), including #5 [Pepper Spraying Cop](https://hyperallergic.com/pepper-spray-cop-meme/).

Yahoo! News has also [compiled a list](http://news.yahoo.com/top-facebook-memes-2011-planking-lms-tbh-110150906.html?ref=hyperallergic.com) of the most popular status update topics for the year.

My thoughts, it’s a funny list but — like everyone else — there are a few I missed and some I wish I did. Many of these appear fueled by Tumblr and its ease of sharing. I wonder if there was a way to parse the memes according to social network.