How Memes Become Movements — Modern Wisdom (Joshua Citarella)
Update: 2025-12-13
Description
A sharp look at how teenage meme cultures shape real-world politics and why it matters now. This condensed summary cuts a 2-hour Modern Wisdom episode down to 5 minutes. Host Chris Williamson and guest Joshua Citarella trace how private Discords, irony poisoning, and aesthetic politics turn jokes into belief systems and sometimes into voter mobilization. You’ll learn how memetic strategy, platform dynamics, and declining economic prospects fuel radical shifts across the political spectrum, why mainstream media no longer fully gates culture, and what practical steps (trade-union power, workplace organizing, material policy) can rebuild durable movements. Topics covered include misinformation and media literacy, artificial intelligence and platform effects, society and culture, and emergent political tech. Joshua’s ethnographic lens explains Gen Z experimentation, eco-extremism risks, and concrete paths for persuasion and coalition-building. Listen now to get the key ideas in minutes.
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