I Can Haz Memes
Uncanny Valley | WIRED6 Elo 2021

I Can Haz Memes

Internet memes seem harmless enough. A few pictures of cats with some grammatically incorrect text—what could go wrong? Well, memes have come a long way since the early days of the internet. For more than a decade, memes have been deployed as a weapon in culture wars. And they’re even more persuasive than most people realize. A well-placed meme on somebody’s social media timeline can lead them down a rabbit hole of radicalization, misinformation, and extremism.

This week on Gadget Lab, we talk with Emily Dreyfuss, a senior editor at Harvard’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy about how memes have shaped politics and culture.

Show Notes:

Read more about all kinds of disinformation at Harvard Shorenstein Center’s Media Manipulation Casebook. Here’s Emily’s story about her life as a robot. Read Angela Watercutter’s story about the Bernie Sanders mittens memes.

Recommendations:

Emily recommends that you look up what happens to an artichoke if you let it flower, and also American Nations by Colin Woodard. Mike recommends r/random, which takes you to a different subreddit every time you click. Lauren recommends the HBO show White Lotus.

Emily Dreyfuss can be found on Twitter @EmilyDreyfuss. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

If you have feedback about the show, or just want to enter to win a $50 gift card, take our brief listener survey here.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Jaksot(426)

WIRED Roundup: Making Art In the AI Era, With Wicked’s Jon. M Chu

WIRED Roundup: Making Art In the AI Era, With Wicked’s Jon. M Chu

You don’t have to be a fan of musicals to know about the Wicked film franchise — it’s been everywhere since the first film launched last year, and that’s exactly how director Jon. M Chu wanted it. At ...

12 Joulu 202526min

AMD CEO Lisa Su Isn’t Afraid of the Competition

AMD CEO Lisa Su Isn’t Afraid of the Competition

Last week, some of the most forward-thinking minds in tech, culture, and politics came together for WIRED’s Big Interview event — a series of live, in-depth conversations with industry leaders. To kic...

11 Joulu 202547min

BIG INTV: San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie: ‘We Are a City on the Rise’

BIG INTV: San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie: ‘We Are a City on the Rise’

Since taking office, San Francisco’s mayor has been on a quest to revitalize the city and increase public safety. He’s also kept the National Guard out—with a little help from some very powerful frien...

9 Joulu 202531min

WIRED Roundup: DOGE Isn’t Dead, Facebook Dating Is Real, Amazon AI Releases

WIRED Roundup: DOGE Isn’t Dead, Facebook Dating Is Real, Amazon AI Releases

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Leah Feiger to discuss five stories you need to know about this week — from how Amazon is trying to catch up in the AI race, to why Facebook Dating is more...

5 Joulu 202525min

What Happens When Your Coworkers Are AI Agents

What Happens When Your Coworkers Are AI Agents

This year, AI agents have been at the forefront of tech companies' ambitions. OpenAI’s Sam Altman has often talked about a possible billion-dollar company being spun up with just one human and an army...

4 Joulu 202536min

BIG INTV: Melinda French Gates on Secrets: ‘Live a Truthful Life, Then You Don’t Have Any’

BIG INTV: Melinda French Gates on Secrets: ‘Live a Truthful Life, Then You Don’t Have Any’

On this week’s episode of The Big Interview podcast, the philanthropist sits down with Katie to offer her insights on billionaire donors, kids on phones, and the importance of women’s healthcare.Join ...

2 Joulu 202546min

WIRED Roundup: Epstein Files Fallout, NVIDIA Earnings, Gemini 3 Release

WIRED Roundup: Epstein Files Fallout, NVIDIA Earnings, Gemini 3 Release

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Max Zeff to discuss five stories you need to know about this week — from the political fallout after the release of the Epstein files, to why two young mor...

21 Marras 202523min

Can Tech Get Rid of Bad Trips?

Can Tech Get Rid of Bad Trips?

Whether it's teenagers reviving the Benadryl TikTok challenge or people signing up for an out of body experience program previously used by the CIA, some of us are chasing unconventional trips. Bad tr...

20 Marras 202527min