"Brain rot" as "trashy media for the algorithmic age", the political implications of memes, the differences in global meme cultures, and the impact of AI on the content we receive and share. Dr. Idil Galip is a lecturer in New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam and a dedicated scholar of what she's called "meme studies". She shares her insights on the evolution of memes, "brain rot" media, and the impact of algorithms on digital culture. She discusses how memes have transformed from simple internet jokes into complex, monetized digital objects and content economies, dissects the most popular digital platforms we use, and tries to help us predict the future impact of the algorithmic and meme age we live in. 

0:00 Introduction

2:06 Brain Rot: A Media Genre and a State of Being

3:11 The Historical Roots of Brain Rot Content

5:30 Challenges in Meme Research

6:36 Understanding Platform Ideology and Content Economies

12:00 The Origins of Dr. Galip's Meme Research

15:13 From Political Cartoons to Political Memes

18:18 Global vs. Local Meme Cultures

22:11 Platforms and Their Communities

24:25 Niche Meme Cultures: 4chan and Pinterest

26:55 Reddit and Text-Based Memes

28:06 The Impact of Algorithms on Cultural Consumption

30:55 The Illusion of Openness and Personalized Content

33:52 Favorite Platforms and Doom Scrolling

36:27 The Death of Monoculture in the Digital Age

40:30 The Paradox of Connection and Loneliness

43:10 A Timeline of The Internet: Web 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0

47:07 The Rise of Generative AI and Chatbots in Meme Culture

53:20 Recommended Meme Accounts and Artists

Dr. Idil Galip is a researcher who explores the intersection of memes, digital labor, and algorithmic culture through ethnographic and digital methods. She's a lecturer in New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam and recently co-edited "Critical Meme Reader III: Breaking the Meme" and has published in leading journals on platform studies and internet culture. She founded the Meme Studies Research Network, an international community of people who do interdisciplinary meme research. Her work has been featured in WIRED, BBC, Deutsche Welle, and numerous cultural institutions including the Photographer's Gallery, Fotomuseum Winterthur, Foam, House of Electronic Arts Basel and more. Beyond academia she bridges research and public discourse through keynotes, media appearances, and collaborations with artists and cultural organizations. She's passionate about making digital culture research accessible and relevant to broader audiences. 

Connect with Idil Galip 👉 https://instagram.com/cybervolta

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu

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