He's right, you shouldn't.
We see them everywhere, they make us laugh.
We send them to friends, family, or post them online.
But we rarely ask the questions:
What is a meme, really?
And why do the most powerful people on Earth care about them?
This is not JUST about internet humor. You'll be surprised to learn that it's about evolution, culture and control.
The true origin: memes are cultural genes
The word meme was coined by Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene. It comes from the Greek = "that which is imitated".
Dawkins introduced memes as a Darwinian concept:
Memes are to culture what genes are to biology.
In short:
- Genes replicate through DNA = memes replicate through human minds.
- Both evolve via variation + selection + replication.
- Their primary goal is to keep replicating, regardless of benefit to the host.
Memetics is the science of contagious ideas
Memetics is the field that studies how ideas, behaviors, and symbols replicate.
This reflection came to me years ago when I was parking my car in an empty parking, almost everyday.
The parking was litterally ALWAYS empty. So I'd park wherever I want.
When I'd come back, I'd see a second or a third car. Parked in line right after my car.
I was thinking:
THE PARKING IS EMPTY ! They have all the space they want, why would they chose to park right behind me?
That's a memetic behavior.
Memetics is the theory of cultural evolution based on Darwinian principles.
All evolutionary systems require three things:
- Replication (a copy is made)
- Variation (mutations occur)
- Selection (some copies thrive, others vanish)
This process also governs:
- Songs that go viral
- Political slogans that shape elections
- Myths, fashion trends, conspiracy theories
Memes are cultural DNA: evolving, adapting, hijacking attention. And the secret to create a meme that survive is:
✔ Simple to remember
✔ Emotionally charged
✔ Easy to share
✔ Reinforce group identity
Sound familiar?
Yep. That’s how disinformation, cultural norms, religions, trends, and propaganda all spread.
If you've already taken my course "How to REALLY Read the News" (available for Grey Zone+ members), you already know how disinformation is created and spread. You can also purchase this course (2 hours of videos) without membership.
Why memes are SO powerful
a. They BYPASS rational thinking
Memes don't argue. They infect! They hijack the System 1 brain (Kahneman): fast, automatic, emotional. They skip logic. They trigger instinct.
b. They COMPRESS ideology into seconds
A good meme is a capsule of meaning. It can encode a political, emotional, or strategic narrative into a single punch. It spreads not because it’s true but because it's sticky.
c. They create tribes
Sharing a meme is a signal: "This is how I see the world. Are you with me?"
Memes build identity. They form digital tribes, reinforce in-groups, and stigmatize out-groups.
d. They shape PERCEPTION... at scale!
Memes are not innocent.
- They've been used in election interference.
- In mass radicalization (QAnon, ISIS, 4chan movements).
- In narrative warfare during conflicts (Ukraine, Taiwan, Israel-Gaza).
They are tools of psychological operations (PSYOPS).
Meme warfare = narrative asymmetry
Memes are cheap, viral, and scalable.
One image. One caption. One second. That’s all it takes.
They don't need:
- money
- permission
- mainstream media
- or intellectual complexity
But they can:
- destroy reputations
- infiltrate collective memory
- implant ideas without resistance
- reshape political and cultural narratives
They are asymmetric warfare for the digital age.
Platforms = laboratories of cultural evolution
Your brain is a battlefield. Thousands of memes compete daily for your limited cognitive bandwidth.
Each meme that survives in your mind did so because it outcompeted others.
X, Instagram, Reddit, TikTok, Telegram, 4chan... these are memetic labs! They are testing grounds for ideas, ideologies, and soft power. They test which ideas:
- Spread faster
- Trigger more outrage
- Divide or unite groups
- Hijack narrative cycles
Memes become weapons of mass distraction or weapons of strategic influence, depending on who wields them.
We need to ask:
- What memes live in my mind?
- Which narratives have I unconsciously adopted?
- Am I the author... or the carrier?
Memetic literacy is now strategic.
Understanding memes = understanding modern power.
Now, tell me you still see memes the same way?
And if you appreciated this piece, it means you already see the world differently. I created a space for that, it's called the Grey Zone. Join us now.
Stay sharp,
Oriane