Lisbon 25: Johan
NonFunGerbils In Lisbon 2025 with Johan
The Grails and the Grief: Why Meme Coins Need to Return to Culture, Not Utility
In a candid, impromptu chat from the conference floor, a representative from meme.com discussed the current state of meme coins, their upcoming Diamond Hand game, and why the meme space has lost its way.
The company was at the conference preparing for the launch of its new gamified feature, the Diamond Hand game, which aims to reward those who hold onto their favorite meme coins purely out of cultural affinity.
Why Everyone Is a Bit Sad
According to the speaker, the meme space is currently "sad" because it was overrun by "extractors and pump and dumpers" who used the "meme coin" label merely to hype their bags. The genuine, culture-driven ethos has been eroded by these quick-flip cycles.
The core philosophy they want to restore is simple: holding a meme coin should be like holding an NFT. You hold it because you love the thing and want to participate in the culture it represents. The Diamond Hand game is specifically designed to gamify and incentivize this cultural participation.
The Value of "Meme for Meme’s Sake"
While the meme coin space is now being taken more seriously, the speaker expressed strong disagreement with the growing trend of pushing meme coins to have "utility" or integrate with DeFi.
They argue forcefully that a true meme coin should be valuable for what it represents in the here and now, not for some future promise or utility the team plans to build. Its value is the cultural snapshot it provides.
The Grails of Staying Power
What separates a temporary hype coin from a lasting cultural asset? The answer is simple: the best memes are the ones that "live rent free in people's heads" and are posted on social media because people genuinely like them, not because they are shilling.
The confirmed "Grails" with staying power include the classics: Pepe, Bobo, Moo Moo, Doge, Mog, Wojack, Harry Potter Bob, and Sanity. These memes have existed for a decade or more, suggesting that according to the Lindy effect, they are likely to be around for another.
The speaker also noted that new "brain rot" trends like Skibbidi Toilet could very well hold the same power with the younger generation, indicating that cultural relevance, regardless of where it originates, is the key to longevity.
✅Listen on Spotify
🍎Listen on Apple Podcasts
▶️Watch on YouTube
https://twitter.com/supahmarbler
https://twitter.com/meme
https://twitter.com/nftland
https://nonfungerbils.com
https://twitter.com/NonFunGerbils
https://discord.com/invite/4F4Wenj9s3