Behind the Screens: How Memes Shape Our World and Wars

Image by Estefano Burmistrov from Pixabay

Introduction

In the digital age, the landscape of warfare has evolved, transcending traditional battlegrounds to encompass a new domain — the virtual realm. Asymmetric warfare, characterized by the imbalance of power between opposing forces, has witnessed a paradigm shift with the emergence of memetic warfare. Memes, once regarded as innocuous internet humour, have emerged as potent weapons of cultural transmission in this new era of conflict. This article explores the role of memes as viruses (modes) of cultural transmission in asymmetric warfare, delving into their nature, power, strategies, and ethical considerations.

Understanding Memes

What Are Memes?

Before exploring the intricate relationship between memes and asymmetric warfare, it is crucial to understand what memes truly are. Memes, in their broadest sense, encompass ideas, behaviours, or styles that are rapidly spread through cultural imitation. Originating from biologist Richard Dawkins’ concept of “memetics,” memes are analogous to genes, replicating and evolving through transmission from person to person. Simply put, Memes are a mode of cultural transmission.

Memes and Cultural Transmission

Cultural transmission serves as the lifeblood of memes. Memes thrive on the human tendency to imitate and spread ideas. They encapsulate thoughts, humour, and emotions in easily digestible forms, transcending language barriers and cultural divides. Memes possess an inherent ability to capture societal sentiments and reflect prevailing attitudes, making them potent tools of communication, cultural expression and disseminating dis/disinformation. One of the most fascinating, albeit scary, things about Memes is their ability to transcend language barriers and cultural differences, allowing them to resonate with a wide range of individuals.

Memes as Units of Information

At their core, memes are simply units of information that convey meaning and evoke emotions and reactions. They encapsulate concepts, narratives, or ideologies in a concise and memorable format. Through the power of repetition, humour, and relatability, memes embed themselves like ticks within the collective releasing viral particles into the collective consciousness (the Zeitgeist) of communities, enabling the rapid dissemination of ideas.

Memes in Asymmetric Warfare

Asymmetric Warfare: An Overview

Asymmetric warfare refers to conflicts where one party possesses significantly more resources, military power, or technological advantages than the other. In such contexts, traditional methods of warfare become less effective, leading to the emergence of alternative strategies and tactics.

Memetic Warfare: A New Paradigm

Enter memetic warfare — a novel dimension of asymmetric warfare. Memetic warfare harnesses the power of memes as weapons to undermine adversaries, nurture polarization and tribalization, and influence public opinion. It capitalizes on the democratization of information dissemination through social media platforms, exploiting the speed, reach, and viral nature of memes to shape narratives, sow discord, transcend cultural barriers, and catalyze cultural change.

Memes as Weapons in Asymmetric Warfare

With their ability to swiftly capture attention, bypass rational thought processes and provoke emotional responses — memes have become formidable weapons in the arsenal of asymmetrical warfare. By creating and deploying memes strategically, actors can engage in a battle of ideas, subvert narratives, and erode trust in institutions. Memes possess the capacity to mobilize populations, incite violence, or propagate ideologies, serving as catalysts for social unrest. They are also effective tools in transporting ideas from the “wire to the weeds.”

The Power of Memetic Warfare

Virality and Memetic Warfare

One key attribute that makes memes effective in warfare is their potential for virality. Memes, by nature, are designed to appeal to emotion, promoting that “slap-the-share-button response” facilitated by social sharing mechanisms and spread themselves rapidly and effortlessly across online platforms. This viral nature amplifies their impact, enabling messages to reach vast audiences within a remarkably short span of time.

Psychological Impact of Memes

Memes have a unique ability to bypass rational thought by tapping into the emotional core of individuals. They can evoke humour, outrage, or empathy and subdue critical thinking while amplifying and stimulating powerful emotional responses that resonate deeply with people. By leveraging psychological triggers, memes can shape public opinion, sway political discourse, and manipulate societal values by effectively injecting their emotional payload into the Zeitgeist of the targeted group.

Amplification through Social Media

The rise of social media platforms has provided an ideal and fertile breeding ground for memetic warfare. These platforms offer vast audiences, engagement algorithms, and sharing functionalities that propel memes to viral status. The interconnectedness of social networks facilitates the rapid dissemination and adoption of memes, enabling them to permeate cultural landscapes with remarkable speed and breadth. It is worth mentioning that these engagement algorithms also facilitate polarity and tribalism on a grand scale by using confirmation bias to show content that aligns with what they think people want to see, effectively creating what are known as filter bubbles.

Memetic Warfare Strategies

Memetic Engineering

Memetic engineering involves intentionally creating, social engineering and disseminating memes to achieve specific goals. By tailoring memes to resonate with target audiences, propagators of memetic warfare can infiltrate online communities, shape narratives, sway public sentiment and stimulate an audience into exerting reflexive control. Successful memetic engineering requires an understanding of cultural nuances, humour, and prevailing sentiments.

Covert Memetic Operations

Covert memetic operations involve clandestine efforts to deploy memes as weapons. These operations can be carried out by state or non-state actors or even individuals with vested interests. Covert memetic operations often rely on disinformation, manipulation, and exploiting existing societal fault lines to amplify divisions and catalyze conflict.

Counter-Memetic Strategies

Counter-memetic strategies and education are essential in combating memetic warfare. These strategies involve the promotion of media literacy, critical thinking, and responsible online behaviour. Additionally, proactive identification and debunking of false information, collaboration between tech companies and security agencies, and promoting transparency within algorithms (or open-sourcing them) can help mitigate the impact of memetic warfare.

Case Studies

Case Study: Russian Influence Campaigns

Russian influence campaigns have exemplified the power of memetic warfare. The Kremlin’s use of memes to manipulate public opinion, sow division, and influence elections has garnered international attention. These campaigns have successfully shaped narratives and amplified discord within targeted societies by leveraging humour, conspiracy theories, and cultural references (Thompson & Lapowsky, 2023) (“Russian Meddling in the United States,” 2023) (“Russian Interference in 2020,” 2023)

.Case Study: ISIS Propaganda

A non-state actor, ISIS employed memetic warfare as a key element of its propaganda strategy. By using visually striking and emotionally charged memes, ISIS effectively attracted recruits, disseminated extremist ideologies, and instigated fear. Memetic warfare played a significant role in their online recruitment efforts and facilitated the rapid spread of their messaging (“Is America Prepared for Meme Warfare, 2023”).

Ethical Considerations

The Dark Side of Memetic Warfare

While memetic warfare offers new avenues for information dissemination and cultural influence, it also raises ethical concerns. The manipulative potential of memes poses risks, as they can be exploited for nefarious purposes, such as promoting hate speech, inciting violence, or spreading false information. The responsibility lies with content creators, platform operators, and society at large to ensure ethical guidelines and safeguards are in place.

Responsibility and Accountability

As the influence of memes grows, the question of responsibility and accountability becomes increasingly important. Content creators, social media platforms, and individuals sharing memes must consider the potential consequences of their actions. Responsible memetic warfare requires an awareness of the broader societal impact, adherence to ethical standards, and consideration of the long-term consequences. Yes, memetic warfare can be used for good, i.e. combatting xenophobia, racism, sexism…

Future Implications

Memes and Hybrid Warfare

The evolving nature of warfare calls for a holistic understanding of memetic warfare within the framework of hybrid warfare. Hybrid warfare encompasses the integration of conventional military tactics, cyber warfare, psychological operations, AI, and memetic warfare. The reaction due to the intersection among these elements necessitates continuous adaptation, robust defences, and a multifaceted approach to national security.

Memetic Warfare in the Information Age

As we continue to navigate the information age, the power and influence of memes will only grow. Consider the new kid on the block, generative AI with its ability to create deepfake photos and videos. This technology has the potential and ability to launch memetic warfare into the stratosphere of asymmetric warfare techniques. Understanding memetic warfare and its impact on cultural transmission is crucial for governments, institutions, and individuals. By recognizing the potential of memes as tools for manipulation, fostering media literacy, and promoting responsible meme culture, we can mitigate the negative effects and harness the positive aspects of memetic warfare.

Conclusion

Memes, once regarded as mere entertainment, have transformed into potent viruses of cultural transmission in the realm of asymmetric warfare. Their viral nature, psychological impact, and social media amplification have revolutionized how conflicts are waged in the digital age. However, with this power comes ethical considerations, responsibilities, and the need for counter-memetic strategies. As we navigate this evolving landscape, understanding memetic warfare and its implications becomes crucial for safeguarding the integrity of information and preserving societal well-being.

Another area that needs to be at the forefront of efforts to reign in memetic warfare is the awareness of emerging technologies that may frustrate efforts to contain their negative potential. It is crucial to employ strategic insight in understanding and anticipating these developments. One framework that can guide these efforts is the VUCA construct (Besso, 2023), which helps analyze and plan for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity in the landscape of memetic warfare.

FAQs

1. Are memes always used for negative purposes in memetic warfare? Memes can be used for both positive and negative purposes in memetic warfare. While some actors employ memes to spread disinformation or incite violence, others may use them for constructive purposes, such as raising awareness or fostering social change.
2. Can memetic warfare influence political outcomes? Yes, memetic warfare has the potential to influence political outcomes. Memes can shape public opinion, sway voters, and influence the discourse surrounding political candidates or issues.
3. Are there any legal frameworks to regulate memetic warfare? Currently, there are no specific legal frameworks tailored to memetic warfare. Existing laws governing defamation, hate speech, and intellectual property may be applied in certain cases, but the rapidly evolving nature of memetic warfare poses challenges for regulatory frameworks.
4. How can individuals protect themselves from the influence of memetic warfare? Individuals can protect themselves by practising media literacy, fact-checking information, and being mindful of emotional manipulation. Developing critical thinking skills and being aware of the potential biases and agendas behind memes can help individuals resist undue influence. Education can help to inoculate people from the harm of memetic warfare.
5. Is memetic warfare limited to online platforms? While online platforms are the primary battleground for memetic warfare, their impact can spill over into the offline world (from the wire to the weeds). Memes have the potential to shape public opinion and catalyze real-world actions, making their influence extend beyond the digital realm.

Glossary of Terms

1. Memes: Ideas, behaviours, or styles that are rapidly spread through cultural imitation. They are units of information that convey meaning and evoke emotions and reactions.
2. Cultural Transmission: The process by which cultural traits, such as ideas, beliefs, or behaviours, are passed on from one generation to another through social learning or imitation.
3. Asymmetric Warfare: A form of warfare where one party possesses significantly more resources, military power, or technological advantages than the other, leading to a power imbalance.
4. Memetic Warfare: A dimension of asymmetric warfare that harnesses the power of memes as weapons to undermine adversaries, influence public opinion, and catalyze cultural change.
5. Virality: The quality or state of being viral, referring to the rapid and widespread dissemination of information or content through online platforms.
6. Psychological Impact: The effect of memes on individuals’ emotions, thoughts, and behaviour, often by tapping into their emotional core and evoking strong reactions.
7. Social Media: Online platforms and websites that enable users to create, promote and share content, interact with others, and participate in social networking.
8. Memetic Engineering: The intentional creation, social engineering, and dissemination of memes to achieve specific goals, such as shaping narratives or influencing public sentiment.
9. Covert Memetic Operations: Clandestine efforts to deploy memes as weapons, often carried out by state or non-state actors, with the aim of amplifying divisions and catalyzing conflict.
10. Counter-Memetic Strategies: Strategies aimed at combating memetic warfare, including media literacy, critical thinking, debunking false information, and promoting responsible online behaviour.
11. Hybrid Warfare: A form of warfare that integrates conventional military tactics, cyber warfare, psychological operations, AI, and memetic warfare, requiring multifaceted approaches to national security.
12. Ethical Considerations: The ethical implications and concerns associated with the use of memes in warfare, such as promoting hate speech, inciting violence, or spreading false information.
13. Responsibility and Accountability: The obligation of content creators, social media platforms, and individuals sharing memes to think about the potential consequences of their actions and adhere to ethical standards.
14. Media Literacy: The skill to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media content critically, enabling individuals to navigate and understand the media landscape effectively.
15. Fact-Checking: The process of verifying the accuracy and validity of information or claims through research and reliable sources.
16. Critical Thinking: The skill to objectively analyze and evaluate information, arguments, or claims, considering multiple perspectives and evidence.
17. Confirmation Bias: The propensity to search for, interpret, or favour information that confirms one’s existing beliefs or biases.
18. Responsible Meme Culture: The promotion of ethical guidelines and responsible behaviour within the creation and sharing of memes, considering their potential impact on society.

References

NICHOLAS THOMPSON ISSIE LAPOWSKY. How Russian Trolls Used Meme Warfare to Divide America. (2023). Retrieved 14 July 2023, from https://www.wired.com/story/russia-ira-propaganda-senate-report/

Russian Meddling in the United States: The Historical Context of the Mueller Report. (2023). Retrieved 14 July 2023, from https://www.csis.org/analysis/russian-meddling-united-states-historical-context-mueller-report

Russian Interference in 2020 Included Influencing Trump Associates, Report Says. (2023). Retrieved 14 July 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/16/us/politics/election-interference-russia-2020-assessment.html

Is America Prepared for Meme Warfare?. (2023). Retrieved 14 July 2023, from https://www.vice.com/en/article/xyvwdk/meme-warfare

Besso, P. (2023, 1 July). From VUCA to Victory: Triumphing Through Morning Madness. Medium. https://medium.com/@literarymusings/from-vuca-to-victory-triumphing-through-morning-madness-9628c6b2daed