Module VIII·Article I·~1 min read
Meme Culture and Digital Folklore
Digital Culture and the Post-Internet World
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Meme as a Unit of Cultural Transmission
Richard Dawkins introduced the concept of the “meme” in “The Selfish Gene” (1976)—a cultural analogue of the gene: a unit of information that spreads through imitation. An idea, motif, practice that is reproduced and evolves. The internet meme is a concretization of this idea: an image or format that spreads and mutates online.
But an internet meme is not merely “viral content.” It is a form of folk creativity, modern folklore. Like old proverbs and tales, memes: express collective feelings in a compact form; are easy to remember and reproduce; adapt to new contexts; are transmitted horizontally, without hierarchy.
“Distracted Boyfriend,” “This is Fine,” “Drake Pointing”—these formats carry culturally specific meanings that Generation Z perceives instantly. For elders, it’s an opaque code.
Platforms as Cultural Intermediaries
In the past, cultural intermediaries were editors, curators, publishers, TV channels. Now—algorithms. TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter/X, Spotify—cultural platforms that determine what the audience sees.
The TikTok algorithm is one of the most powerful cultural machines in history: it can make a niche artist global in 48 hours. This is an unprecedented democratization of access—and an unprecedented concentration of cultural power in the hands of one company.
“Virality” is not accidental: algorithms optimize for engagement, which means an advantage for emotionally charged content (anger, fear, humor, cuteness). This creates a cultural space where extreme positions, conflict, and triviality are favored.
Question for reflection: Memes create a shared cultural language of a generation. What kind of “language” does your team have—inside jokes, images, references? How does this influence cohesion and communication?
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