How Ideas Spread in a Fast-Changing World
Doge meme in a liquid world.
We live in a time when everything changes quickly—our jobs, habits, beliefs, and even how we talk to each other. Sociologist Zygmunt Bauman called this liquid culture: a world where life is flexible, fast-moving, and often unpredictable. One of the clearest signs of this type of culture is the meme.
What Is a Meme, Really?
Most people today think of memes as funny images with text that go viral on the internet. But the word meme was first used by scientist Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene. He described memes as small pieces of culture—like songs, catchphrases, fashion trends, or beliefs—that spread from person to person.
Just like genes pass on biological traits, memes pass on cultural ideas. And like genes, memes are copied, mutated, and selected. The ones that “fit” best with their surroundings—whether that’s a moment in time, a social mood, or a community—are the ones that survive and spread.
Memes in the Internet Age
Today’s memes mostly travel through the internet, but the way they work hasn’t changed. A meme might start with a single image or joke, but quickly it gets remixed, rewritten, and reshaped by thousands of people. This ability to change and adapt is exactly what makes memes powerful in a world that’s always shifting.
Why do memes work so well in liquid culture?
They’re fast: Memes are short and easy to share.
They’re flexible: Anyone can edit or remix them.
They’re social: Memes connect people through humor, criticism, or shared experiences.
They evolve: Like living things, memes change and adapt to survive.
In a world where traditions feel less fixed and attention spans are short, memes help people react to events, express identity, or just join in the conversation.
In Short
Memes started as a scientific idea about how culture spreads. Today, they are a key part of how we communicate in a fast-changing world. They don’t just spread—they evolve. And in a liquid culture, that makes them one of the most powerful tools we have for sharing meaning.
Further Reading:
Richard Dawkins – The Selfish Gene (1976)
Zygmunt Bauman – Liquid Modernity (2000)
Limor Shifman – Memes in Digital Culture (2013)
Susan Blackmore – The Meme Machine (1999)