When memes replace authentic culture, communities are fostering a false sense of unity through superficial signals

Author: Kualta

Translation: TechFlow

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Stratus and Snats for their meticulous proofreading of this article.

Preface

Whether in the crypto community or beyond, people have long been accustomed to using superficial signals to create a false sense of unity, rather than building on shared values or goals.

Once, memes were tools for spreading culture. Now, they are mistaken as culture itself.

Communities are losing direction, losing true identity. We’ve replaced deep mutual understanding with shallow signals of belonging.

This phenomenon, once just a minor issue within crypto circles, has now spread into broader society—and one might even say it has become incurable.

You Don’t Have Culture

Don’t say “gm” (good morning) to me. I’m not your “fren” (friend).

I am repulsed when people blindly mimic certain behaviors just to signal belonging. These actions are nothing more than hollow substitutes for real human connection.

Though I don’t wish to give such behavior undue credit, the subconscious motivation behind it is simple: commodify everything—even belonging.

The crypto space is a prime example of cultural decay. It began as a revolution rooted in principles like security, decentralization, and resistance to corporate monopolies. Today, it has devolved into an echo chamber faking authenticity.

The original spirit of crypto has not only been diluted—it has been replaced by its own virtual replica.

Crypto today is no longer a genuine community, but a desperate attempt to piece together identity in an increasingly meaningless world. Ironically, as abstraction increases, this sense of identity grows ever more artificial.

Do you still remember that “crypto” comes from “cryptography”? Or has meme culture completely overtaken substance?

At best, you’re a “useful idiot”; at worst, merely a liquidity outlet to be exploited.

Yet crypto is just a microcosm of the wider world. This pattern extends far beyond.

In every aspect of modern life, we see the same process: authentic cultural elements are discovered, commodified, mass-produced, and eventually severed from their original meaning.

Whether it’s gamblecore, meme tokens, or exit polls—these are all symptoms of the same sickness. Humans are fed packaged opinions, trapped in echo chambers, gradually losing the will to explore other possibilities.

And why do you allow this to happen? Because it fills your inner void—you have no culture.

Human Connection

Humans need connection. Yet here lies a paradox of contemporary society: in an era of instant and hyper-connectivity, we are drowning in superficial relationships.

It’s easy to criticize herd-like behaviors—like daily “gm” greetings, recycled memes, and empty interactions. But beneath these lies a deeper truth: humans crave connection, and in the absence of real bonds, we settle for poor imitations of community.

We pride ourselves on scientific discussion and rational debate. We claim to value fact-based discourse and logical reasoning. Yet millions of hours are spent on social media posting opinions and seeking validation. Why?

Beyond addictive platforms and algorithms, the core issue is this: in intellectual communities, we neither recognize nor permit people to fulfill their emotional needs without undermining their arguments.

We are emotional beings trying to navigate an increasingly abstract world.

The more we deny this reality, the shallower our society becomes.

When we ignore human emotional connection in pursuit of “pure facts,” that need doesn’t vanish—it gets suppressed, then reemerges in distorted forms. The rise of meme culture isn’t the root problem; it’s a symptom of our failure to meet this fundamental human need.

Humans need connection. We need communities that can hold both rigorous thinking and sincere emotion. Otherwise, we’ll keep wasting time on these absurd phenomena.

The Immune System

Beyond obvious symptoms, this “cultural disease” has active propagators.

Those who haven’t merely fallen victim—but instead profit from these conditions—represent a troubling phenomenon. We observe that a society starved of emotional depth not only accepts those entirely detached from reality, but willingly follows them.

If you’ve avoided politics (which is commendable), you may not realize how drastically trust-building has changed in recent years.

People can now manipulate public opinion, rewrite history in the collective consciousness, and escape consequences—all by appealing to emotional needs rather than intellectual ones.

This reveals how deeply we yearn for connection. Recognizing those who exploit our emotions is the first step toward societal recovery. And it’s heartbreaking to see how quickly such figures rise.

Don’t compromise with those who despise you, enslave you, control your life—who tell you what to do, think, and feel.

The true tragedy isn’t just that these acts are hollow—they actively prevent authentic culture from forming. As long as you participate, or even silently tolerate it, this “cultural disease” will continue to spread.

One must take pride in their culture. Yet this has never been easy.

Authentic culture arises from shared values—not mere surface-level agreement. True culture is built upon principles that guide and constrain our decisions.

When we accept shallow cultural substitutes, we don’t just weaken community cohesion—we sacrifice the very possibility of creating anything meaningful.

Some mistakenly believe everyone has the right to an opinion. That’s false. If you cannot clearly articulate the beliefs you claim to hold, then they don’t truly belong to you. If all you have are slogans and empty statements—you don’t deserve attention.

Interactions driven by short videos and fragmented content only worsen this issue. Don’t mistake them for anything else—they’re marketing tools.

Remember: what separates humans from animals is our ability to create and protect our own cultures.

If a person has no culture, I cannot respect them.

Key Points

• Our cultural standards must continually rise, not sink. Fluctuating standards keep us stagnant while enabling those who exploit us.

• We should encourage those who dare to explore, debate, and think rationally—but remain cautious of treating rationality as the sole truth.

• We must not tolerate degenerate behavior, nor remain passive toward those who enable it.

• Don’t readily accept ideas that seem tailored for you but exist only to feed your emotions. Be wary of those who manipulate your feelings for personal gain.

• Chasing value alone is not admirable, nor does it bring true fulfillment.

• Everyone should take pride in their capacity for independent thought and understanding.

• Stand confidently with like-minded individuals, united in defending our culture and values.