Epic Default Productions

(I don’t even know what this is supposed to be, but it showed up under a Google Image Search for “memetics.” Speaking of which, it’s worthy of note that I use the term “memetic” in an odd way here: take it to mean ideas spread compulsively, rather than ideas that spread themselves.)

One of the things most fascinating about our (geek) culture is our interconnectedness; ideas, media, and knowledge flow wildly over the “interweb” and perpetuate in-person. A lot of this, admittedly, is junk; memetic garbage is a dime a dozen.

Despite the asinine crap, our culture benefits from an unusually large set of shared experiences — it might be the most broad, diverse set of any culture or generation to date. A lot has taken root in just over a decade; when I met a fellow geek or nerd in elementary school, it was unlikely that we had any common ground aside school. Now, upon meeting someone new, they will have at least one thing, a game, a song, a film, video, book, or graphic novel, to which we’ve both been exposed.

This is hardly the feared “monoculture” rambled about in Transmetropolitan: sure, this new person and I may have encountered an item in common, but that’s a damn far cry from feeling the same way about said item. Indeed, in a culture with such breadth as our own, the old Danish/Russian proverb, “one raven does not peck the eyes of another,” does not hold true. We’re a rather eye-pecking lot; getting geeks to simply respect dissenting opinions on certain subject matter is extremely difficult, and we’re usually more likely to come to blows than a consensus.

The power of our memetic culture, however, is that when sufficient consensus is reached, we are unstoppable. As ideas flow more freely, our ability to propagate information, and in turn, take action, grows nigh exponentially. The vocal minority within geek and internet culture, a thin slice by any reckoning, is almost prescient, has demolished the corrupt, made corporations scramble for cover, meddled with financial markets, raised millions of dollars for charity, and even set the very internet on fire to prove it will not be silenced. Some outside observers have realized and tried to channel the power of this voice, but it remains largely untapped; indeed, it is but a fraction of our full potential.

Like the Fremen, nobody will know how many of us there are until we all take action. Imagine what we can do when that time comes.

Better yet, try to imagine what we can’t.

Oz recently had a dream featuring HotSake, Jonny Nero, cwknight, a tin pail, and a land shark. Fill in the rest however you like, then blame him for the inevitable mental scarring in the comments section!