Does a trending hashtag equal a real movement? Can a viral video substitute for a town hall meeting? Is digital activism a modern revolution, or is it just old-school community organizing in a faster, more chaotic wrapper?

Not long ago, memes were the currency of internet subcultures. Pixelated, absurd, and largely apolitical. Today, they are potent tools of community organizing. For activists, memes have become a high-speed delivery system for identity, solidarity, and defiance. They can make a movement feel accessible and immediate, but they also carry the risk of flattening complex issues into shallow punchlines.