Are Memes the New Literature?

By Juliane Trabandt, ca. 3min

When we think about the place of literature in society, we can quickly deduce that its main purpose has long been to provide social commentary and to reflect on cultural norms and tensions. Literature is, of course, not the only medium that does this – but it has certainly been one of the oldest. We only have to think of Austen, Shakespeare, or even Euripides. However, as a society, we have moved away from literature as a common frame of reference and turned instead toward digital media. I am not suggesting that literature has become irrelevant, yet in the age of social media it must now fight for our attention and share its cultural space with movies, TV shows, short-form content, and of course, memes. In the digital age, memes – much like literature once did before the internet – function as a medium that communicates ideas, humour, and social commentary at remarkable speed.

In this article, I will explore whether memes can carry the same cultural significance and meaning as traditional literature.

Storytelling and Commentary

As discussed earlier, literature has long served as a tool for constructing narratives – not only within the text but also beyond it. It helps societies understand themselves and, in doing so, shapes them. Literature provides moral guidance and reflects on how we should respond to global, national, and personal issues. It delves into complexities that cannot easily be replicated by the short-form videos or images we recognise as memes.

Yet, much like literature, memes also reflect on current social issues. Unlike literature, however, memes allow for real-time reflection on global and local events, making cultural commentary instantaneous and widely accessible. In this way, memes extend the tradition of storytelling and commentary into the digital realm, offering a modern, fast-paced form of collective expression.

Cultural Reflection and Shared Understanding

Through their social commentary, works of literature have historically created shared cultural experiences, providing common knowledge, references, and values. For example, European literature – such as Homer’s epics, Dante’s Divine Comedy, or the various retellings of Faust – helped to form a shared European identity, offering stories, myths, and historical narratives recognised across borders. These texts shaped collective identity and defined cultural norms.

Memes serve a similar function in the digital space. They distil shared experiences, humour, and frustrations across cultures and communities. Their instantaneous and borderless distribution gives people – especially younger generations – a common frame of reference that fosters a shared sense of identity and belonging. Online communities often grow around these shared understandings and jokes. Widely recognised political memes in Europe, for instance, help to forge a sense of pan-European awareness. Even EU institutions use memes to connect with younger audiences and promote a pan-European culture on their Instagram accounts.

Memes as the Modern Literature?

As we have seen, memes shape cultural identity and create a common frame of reference, mirroring the traditional role of literature in society. However, they can never fully replace their predecessor. The fact that anyone can publish a meme at any time can easily lead to the spread of misinformation or the reinforcement of stereotypes. While this can also happen in traditional published work, editors and publishers serve as a form of quality control, determining what is worth our time and attention.

Moreover, while memes can offer insight into particular issues, they lack depth. A meme about emerging fascism, for example, might capture society’s current fears and convey them in a strikingly light or ironic way. But a literary text that explores the rise of fascism – such as Paul Lynch’s Prophet Song – is able to delve into the emotions of ordinary people and dissect the relationship between fear for loved ones and the desire to resist authoritarianism.

Conclusion

In conclusion, memes can indeed serve as valuable tools for creating a shared frame of reference and collective identity. Like literature, they offer commentary on society’s concerns – fulfilling a remarkably similar cultural function. Yet, their form allows for no real depth or sustained analysis. Memes may mirror the surface of our cultural consciousness, but literature continues to explore its depths.