"Brain rot" as "trashy media for the algorithmic age", the political implications of memes, the differences in global meme cultures, and the impact of AI on the content we receive and share. Dr. Idil Galip is a lecturer in New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam and a dedicated scholar of what she's called "meme studies". She shares her insights on the evolution of memes, "brain rot" media, and the impact of algorithms on digital culture. She discusses how memes have transformed from simple internet jokes into complex, monetized digital objects and content economies, dissects the most popular digital platforms we use, and tries to help us predict the future impact of the algorithmic and meme age we live in.
"Brain rot" as "trashy media for the algorithmic age", the political implications of memes, the differences in global meme cultures, and the impact of AI on the content we receive and share. Dr. Idil Galip is a lecturer in New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam and a dedicated scholar of what she's called "meme studies". She shares her insights on the evolution of memes, "brain rot" media, and the impact of algorithms on digital culture. She discusses how memes have transformed from simple internet jokes into complex, monetized digital objects and content economies, dissects the most popular digital platforms we use, and tries to help us predict the future impact of the algorithmic and meme age we live in.
0:00 Introduction
2:06 Brain Rot: A Media Genre and a State of Being
3:11 The Historical Roots of Brain Rot Content
5:30 Challenges in Meme Research
6:36 Understanding Platform Ideology and Content Economies
12:00 The Origins of Dr. Galip's Meme Research
15:13 From Political Cartoons to Political Memes
18:18 Global vs. Local Meme Cultures
22:11 Platforms and Their Communities
24:25 Niche Meme Cultures: 4chan and Pinterest
26:55 Reddit and Text-Based Memes
28:06 The Impact of Algorithms on Cultural Consumption
30:55 The Illusion of Openness and Personalized Content
33:52 Favorite Platforms and Doom Scrolling
36:27 The Death of Monoculture in the Digital Age
40:30 The Paradox of Connection and Loneliness
43:10 A Timeline of The Internet: Web 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0
47:07 The Rise of Generative AI and Chatbots in Meme Culture
53:20 Recommended Meme Accounts and Artists
Dr. Idil Galip is a researcher who explores the intersection of memes, digital labor, and algorithmic culture through ethnographic and digital methods. She's a lecturer in New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam and recently co-edited "Critical Meme Reader III: Breaking the Meme" and has published in leading journals on platform studies and internet culture. She founded the Meme Studies Research Network, an international community of people who do interdisciplinary meme research. Her work has been featured in WIRED, BBC, Deutsche Welle, and numerous cultural institutions including the Photographer's Gallery, Fotomuseum Winterthur, Foam, House of Electronic Arts Basel and more. Beyond academia she bridges research and public discourse through keynotes, media appearances, and collaborations with artists and cultural organizations. She's passionate about making digital culture research accessible and relevant to broader audiences.
Connect with Idil Galip 👉 https://instagram.com/cybervolta
Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu
Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊