The Orthogonal Bet

Nadia Asparouhova on ANTIMEMETICS

Apr 2, 2025

Join Nadia Asparouhova, a tech writer and thinker, as she sheds light on her intriguing new book about antimemetics. Discover why some ideas resist virality and how this relates to public versus private discourse. She delves into the contrast between supermemes and antimemes, comparing them to dark matter that influences behavior subtly. The conversation also touches on the tech industry as a distinct social class and the evolving landscape of tech philanthropy, sparking a deeper understanding of the dynamics shaping our digital interactions.

39:47

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Episode guests

Nadia Asparouhova

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Quick takeaways

Antimemetics examines why some significant ideas fail to spread publicly while others do, emphasizing their contextual significance.

Super memes, unlike regular memes, are consequential ideas that resonate deeply, shaping societal debates and mobilizing substantial collective actions.

Deep dives

Understanding Anti-Memetics

Anti-memetics refers to ideas that resist spreading despite their significance. In a world where memes proliferate rapidly through social media, some compelling ideas are shared privately rather than publicly, leading to a paradox where the most interesting takes are seldom vocalized in public spheres. These anti-memes could manifest in various environments, such as private chats or discussions, where they are tailored to specific audiences. The concept underscores the idea that the structure of an idea and the contexts in which it's shared greatly influence its likelihood of spreading, making recognition of these dynamics critical.

Intro

3min

The Dynamics of Memes and Anti-Memes in Various Environments

2min

From Public to Private: The Digital Shift

6min

Navigating Anti-Memes and Super Memes

20min

Tech's Super Memes and Social Dynamics

5min

Tech Philanthropy: Evolving Values and Challenges

5min

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman speaks with Nadia Asparouhova. Nadia is a writer and thinker who explores the ideas that suffuse the tech world. She is the author of Working in Public, a book about the culture of open source software, as well as the forthcoming Antimemetics: Why Some Ideas Resist Spreading. Antimemetics is a fascinating exploration of why some ideas are far less likely to spread than others—and how understanding this phenomenon can help us think more deeply about society.

Samuel and Nadia discuss her new book, diving into the concept of antimimetics, a taxonomy of antimemes, and how these ideas relate to public versus private communities. Their conversation covers supermemes—essentially the opposite of antimemes—as well as immunity to supermemes and even long-term thinking. More broadly, they touch on the tech world’s distinctiveness, tech as a social class, and the nature of philanthropy within the tech community.

Produced by⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Christopher Gates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by Suno