memes are containers
a meme is not the content. it is the shape that allows content to travel.
we misunderstand memes when we treat them as jokes. a meme is not the punchline. it is the container that carries the punchline from one mind to another.
think about shipping containers. before containerization, every port had different systems. cargo moved slowly, expensively, unpredictably. the container changed everything—not because of what was inside, but because of its shape. standard dimensions. stackable. transferable between ships, trucks, trains without repacking.
memes work the same way.
the shape matters more than the content
when you see a format spread—the drake preference template, the distracted boyfriend, the galaxy brain—what spreads is the container. the content inside changes constantly. thousands of different jokes, different points, different contexts. but the shape stays stable.
this is the key insight: the format is the technology.
a successful meme format provides:
- instant recognition
- low cognitive load
- clear slots for customization
- emotional payload delivery
the content fills the slots. the format does the distribution.
why most memes fail
most attempts at "making a meme" fail because people focus on the content. they think the joke needs to be good. but a mediocre joke in a powerful format will outperform a brilliant joke with no format.
the format reduces friction. when someone sees a familiar shape, they don't need to figure out how to read it. they already know where to look, what to expect, how to feel. the processing is automatic.
this is why corporate meme attempts feel wrong. they optimize for the message, not the container. they treat the format as decoration rather than infrastructure.
implications
if memes are containers, then:
- format design is more valuable than content creation
- the best distribution is invisible—people don't notice they're being influenced
- cultural power comes from controlling the shapes that ideas travel in
the internet didn't just increase information flow. it created a new logistics system for meaning. memes are the shipping containers of that system.
we should study them as infrastructure, not as jokes.