Memetic warfare, as described by Jim Rutt, is the strategic use of memes—units of cultural information that spread virally and influence public perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors—within a digital or social environment to achieve specific objectives. Rutt characterizes it as a form of psychological warfare, where the primary battleground is the mind, and the weapons are ideas, images, and messages meticulously crafted to replicate and propagate across social networks. This form of warfare leverages the principles of viral content, exploiting human cognitive biases and social dynamics to shape narratives, manipulate opinions, and destabilize or reinforce existing power structures. By targeting collective consciousness through curated informational payloads, memetic warfare aims to subtly yet profoundly alter the sociopolitical landscape, thus demonstrating the power of cultural influence in the digital age.

See also: emergence, cultural evolution, agent-based modeling, memetic tribe, crypto