Memes are supposed to be original and funny, but at the end of the day they are just variations of the classic office jokes that appeared (and still appear) copied and pasted on walls. Obviously, some were funnier than others, and there was never a shortage of expressions loaded with a certain critical touch towards the politics of the moment, but one thing is certain: those photocopiers were on fire.

The most successful memes usually combine material used completely out of its original context (Neil deGrasse Tyson's reaction is a good example) or fit pieces together in such a way that their subtlety is incredible, but the essence of the meme precedes the Internet and computers. Before, to make a joke go viral you needed something as simple as a sheet of paper and access to a photocopier.

Some of the examples you'll see below (accompanied by very humble translations) already carry several years on their shoulders. The occasional technical error and the disdain for bureaucracy and the state are there, but many things change with time, and humor is no exception.

The Gallery

Memes Before Computers: Photocopied Virals (Gallery)
Memes Before Computers: Photocopied Virals (Gallery)
Before I started working here I drank, smoked and used bad language for no reason, but thanks to this job... now I have a reason.
Memes Before Computers: Photocopied Virals (Gallery)
As 'Marketing' requested - As 'Sales' ordered - As 'Engineering' designed it - As Western Electric manufactured it - As the plant installed it - What the client wanted.
Memes Before Computers: Photocopied Virals (Gallery)
The copier doesn't work: Yes, we already called the technician. Yes, he will come today. No, we can't repair it. No, we don't know how long it will take. No, we don't know what caused it. No, we don't know who broke it. Yes, we'll keep it. No, we don't know what you're going to do now. Yes, we can tell you where to go. Thanks.
Memes Before Computers: Photocopied Virals (Gallery)
Dear Elsie: I am writing to ask you for help with my problem. My wife has custody of our children. They were given to her when she divorced me for desertion of family. My mother has been in a mental institution since I was three. I have two brothers. One works at Target and the other will be electrocuted for murder. My two sisters are prostitutes. My father is in the business of selling narcotics. Recently I met a girl who was released from prison. I love her very much and want to marry her. My problem is this: Should I tell her about my brother who works at Target?
Memes Before Computers: Photocopied Virals (Gallery)
There are 240 million people in America. 100 million are over 65. 90 million are under 21. That leaves 50 million people to work. But 18 million are in the armed forces. That leaves 32 million to work. But 6 million are on welfare. That leaves 26 million to work. But 15 million work for the government. That leaves 11 million to work. But 10 million are in school. That leaves 1 million to work. But 750 thousand are sick or disabled. That leaves 250 thousand to work. But last week, 249,998 were in jail. That leaves 2 people to work. And since you don't do much... no wonder I'm tired.
Memes Before Computers: Photocopied Virals (Gallery)
Lost dog: 3 legs, blind in left eye, missing right ear, broken tail, recently neutered... answers to the name Lucky.
Memes Before Computers: Photocopied Virals (Gallery)
Auditor: Person who shows up on the field after the battle has been fought... and shoots the wounded.
Memes Before Computers: Photocopied Virals (Gallery)
A group of workers was discussing how smart their dogs were. The first was an IBM worker who said his dog could do arithmetic. The dog was named T-Square, and he was told to take exactly 12 cookies from a jar on the shelf, which the dog did without breaking a sweat. The Ford worker thought his dog was better. His dog, named Slide-Rule, was ordered to go to the cookies and divide them into four piles of three, which Slide-Rule did without problems. The telephone company worker said that was fine, but he felt his dog was better. He told his dog Measure to take a quart of milk and put seven ounces in a ten-ounce glass. The dog did this without problems. The three agreed that everything was very good, and that the dogs were very smart. Then they turned to the state worker and asked: "What can your dog do?" The state worker called his dog Coffee-Break and told him "show them what you can do." Coffee-Break ate the cookies, drank the milk, mounted the other three dogs, claimed he hurt his back, filled out paperwork for compensation and went home on sick leave.
Memes Before Computers: Photocopied Virals (Gallery)
Warning: This machine breaks down during times of critical need. A special circuit in the machine called the 'critical detector' records the emotional state of the operator in terms of how desperate they are to use the machine. The critical detector then creates a failure proportional to the operator's desperation. Threatening the machine with violence or abusive language will only exasperate the machine further. Any attempt to use another machine could cause it to fail: They belong to the same union. Stay calm and say nice things to the machine. Nothing else seems to work.