Author: Neso

Let’s clarify this from the start. On one hand, memecoins—they are eclectic. Born from the collective heartbeat of internet culture. On the other hand, shitcoins—they are fleeting, speculative, and soulless. Confusing the two is not only a semantic error but also a cultural disharmony. To call tokens like $TRUMP or $LIBRA “memecoins” is as absurd as mistaking a shadow for the moon.

“Memes are like viruses, spreading from one brain to another.” — Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene (1976)

From Dawkins' foundational theory defining memes as “units of culture” to the birth of Dogecoin in 2013, memecoins have become the crystallization of online culture and decentralized finance. But the key is to distinguish true memecoins—those cultural products that arise from community humor, shared values, and organic dissemination—from shitcoins, which exist solely to exploit speculative fervor. Blurring the lines between the two is not just a semantic mistake; it undermines the cultural foundation of memecoins as a fascinating phenomenon. Memecoins are stories of asset trading, their value a byproduct of collective belief.

Memes are not static images or jokes: they are cultural genes that mutate and spread through human interaction. Dawkins described memes in 1976 as “selfish replicators” competing for dominance in the attention economy. Memecoins like DOGE or PEPE embody this evolutionary process:

A meme (like Doge) mutates into a token, gaining financial utility while retaining its cultural DNA.

The community acts as an ecosystem, amplifying memes that resonate with shared values (humor, rebellion, nostalgia).

Blockchain infrastructure accelerates replication, birthing over 40,000 memecoins daily.

Unlike shitcoins, which lack cultural adaptability, memecoins thrive by embedding themselves in collective memory. They also connect two eras of internet culture: Web2 and Web3.

In Web2, memes are centralized commodities. Platforms like Reddit and Twitter monetize viral content through advertising, but creators rarely reap economic benefits. Memes spread through platforms like Reddit or Twitter, but their monetization is isolated (e.g., platform ad revenue, not creator income). The rise of Dogecoin in 2013 is a case in point: its community funded charitable causes but lacked ownership of the meme's financial value.

Web3 transforms memes into self-sovereign assets, allowing communities to monetize their cultural labor. Memes become tradable rights, managed by decentralized communities rather than corporate algorithms. This shift is revolutionary, as memes transition from ephemeral content to lasting cultural capital. For example, PEPE reclaimed the Pepe meme from Web2 appropriation, enabling holders to “own” a piece of internet history.

This transformation shifts memes from fleeting content to enduring cultural assets, managed by decentralized communities rather than corporate algorithms. True memecoins follow a Darwinian trajectory:

• Birth: Memes are tokenized, often appearing in ironic forms.
• Growth: Communities leverage humor and nostalgia to build social capital.
• Maturity: Successful memecoins develop quasi-social utility (holders invest not just for profit but for identity).
• Legacy: Memecoins either disappear (the majority) or evolve into cultural symbols/folklore. For instance, Dogecoin's persistence stems from its charitable mythos.

Shitcoins bypass this lifecycle. They are financial zombies—lacking narrative, replicating solely through predatory strategies and pump-and-dump schemes. They lack cultural support, dooming them to transience.

Memecoins effectively archive internet subculture onto the blockchain and serve as folklore of the 21st century. In contrast, shitcoins lack this emotional resonance and fail to generate community loyalty. They exploit trends without contributing to cultural narratives, severing the crypto space from its countercultural roots. There is a distinction between memes and meme parasites.

The current real challenge is to maintain cultural integrity. Confusing memecoins with shitcoins threatens the cultural potential of the crypto space (trust erosion due to exploitative tokens, low-quality clones stifling innovation and diluting creativity, complete volatility and scams inviting harsh regulation, jeopardizing creative freedom, etc.).

Let’s revisit history. Dogecoin was created by Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer in 2013, initially as a parody of Bitcoin and a tribute to the Doge meme. The entire project was infused with self-deprecating humor. Yet, it was this irony that helped it stand out in an increasingly serious and competitive crypto landscape. Within months, a loyal community (you could call it a cult) rapidly formed, funding causes such as sponsoring the Jamaican bobsled team at the 2014 Winter Olympics and raising money for clean water initiatives. These early charitable efforts revealed a community spirit that transcended speculation. According to Susan Blackmore's The Meme Machine (1999), the success of a meme largely depends on its ability to resonate with a shared cultural background. Memecoins achieve this by using humor as a Trojan horse; people gather around the comedic premise, but they stay for the sense of belonging. Whether posting absurd memes or fundraising for quirky causes, these communities transform the “attention economy” into tangible economic value. The community creates countless memes, retweets, and Discord channels, amplifying cultural momentum. Digital cross-pollination occurs so rapidly that the value of memecoins often skyrockets not due to their intrinsic utility but because of endless humor-driven hype. Over time, if a meme resonates widely enough (like Doge), the token can transcend its initial joke status and become a cultural symbol in its own right.

In contrast, shitcoins lack any meaningful cultural foundation. They exist purely as speculative tools, with their creators leveraging viral marketing and FOMO (fear of missing out) without contributing anything truly valuable to the broader crypto or cultural ecosystem. The value of memecoins is emotional; the value of shitcoins is transactional. The crypto market—especially on chains like SOL where trading is fast and cheap—can be inundated with tokens that proliferate on platforms like pump.fun. But not all fungi are edible. As Coindesk journalist Brady Dale wrote in a 2021 article about Dogecoin imitators, “The real difference is not in the code, but in the narrative.” Shitcoins lack narrative depth. They have no comedic spark, no charitable causes, and no collective sense of participation that transcends speculation. The so-called PolitiFi tokens that emerged last year (like $MAGA Coin, $BODEN, or $KAMA) exemplify how shitcoins exploit culturally divisive topics (in this case, politics) to accelerate speculation. These tokens do not connect communities; they weaponize political fervor for quick profits. They do not celebrate a shared inside joke but become chips in a digital casino, overshadowed by orchestrated pump-and-dump events. In 2022, journalists already wrote in The New York Times, “Political brand tokens exploit real-world tensions to gain fleeting market momentum, leaving a group of disappointed investors.” We have all seen how this has developed this year. A token's viral spread does not fundamentally endow it with the status of a memecoin. Memecoins leverage cultural references or collective nostalgia. Shitcoins simply parasitize the same viral mechanisms while lacking deeper stories. Thus, they will quickly be discarded.

“They are the economic flash mobs,” Noelle Acheson said in a Decrypt interview (2021). “A phenomenon that disappears as quickly as it forms, leaving no lasting cultural imprint.”

“Memes are the DNA of our culture. They are living, evolving codes that spread through collective imitation and recreation.” — Susan Blackmore, The Meme Machine (1999)

Confusing memecoins with shitcoins poses a real threat to the legitimacy and artistic style that true memecoins bring to the crypto space. Memecoins have historically been a gateway for newcomers to enter the crypto realm, who may be intimidated by more complex financial instruments. When audiences see this space diluted by exploitative tokens devoid of cultural soul, it can erode trust and enthusiasm.

Memecoins reflect the collective psyche of internet subculture—Reddit posts, Twitter memes, Discord channels. Shitcoins hollow out the concept of memes, reducing them to “virality.” The result is a market flooded with digital trash, obscuring projects that genuinely add color to the creative tapestry. True memecoins activate internet culture and establish emotional resonance within global communities. DOGE initially succeeded because it was fun, inclusive, and reflected the lighthearted core of internet humor. Tokens like PEPE continue this tradition. Shitcoins lack this community magic. They are launched by individuals who have little understanding of brand recognition (or meme references). They do not “belong” to a community but exploit it.

That’s why calling shitcoins “memecoins” is like calling billboard slogans high art. The superficial similarity masks a vast chasm of authenticity and purpose. Memecoins are not just jokes. They are mirrors reflecting the id of internet culture. On the other hand, shitcoins are distortions in a funhouse mirror—only surface, no substance. Confusing the two is a misunderstanding of both. Culture is fragile. Don’t let it fall. In Richard Dawkins' words, memes are “units of culture.” Let’s honor this definition and remember why we entered the crypto space: not just to make money, but for belonging.

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