Operating Assumptions/Theory of Change

smartMeme Operating Assumptions (Always a work in progress) -

Please see also: Anti-Oppression Principles;  Situational Analysis

We believe that fundamental social change is not only possible by deeply necessary.

We live in a time of escalating and interlocking global crises, and deep changes in all sectors of our society is needed to address the ecological crisis, social injustice, oppression and war.

We echo the call from the grassroots at the 2002 10th anniversary of the  Earth Summit, “What are we going to do about the United States?,” as the power structure and dominant culture of the US is at the center of so many of the planet’s problems.

People powered grassroots social movements, led by people who are most
directly effected, are the engines of true social progress.

Young people have always been at the forefront of social movements. We believe in the power and potential of today’s young leaders – the  Millenial Generation -  to rise up as a hero generation and alter the current trajectory of our society.

Social movements and organizations in the United States need better strategies to connect across the barriers of organization, issue area, as well as race, class, generational and cultural divides. 

Social movements and organizations in the US need better strategies to communicate with mass audiences in today’s media saturated environment in order to mobilize popular support.

Grassroots organizing is most effective at making long term change when it  targets the root causes: the unjust institutions and systems of power. SmartMeme is strengthening this strategy by targeting another essential component: the narratives of power.

Humans process information through narrative, and so storytelling is a powerful
approach to communication, alliance building, and social change.

Power operates in the physical realm and also operates through stories, as the framework of narratives that justify the status quo. All power relationships have a narrative component.

The concept of a meme – a self-replicating unit of culture – is a helpful analytical tool for understanding narrative power and examining how cultural practices and stories replicate and spread.

Governments and corporations are using increasingly sophisticated forms of propaganda and manipulative memes to influence public behavior, manufacture consent and limit our collective vision of what is possible.

We need to change the stories that normalize unjust power structures. We need to shift the dominant culture in the United States in order to change structural power relationships, and make massive fundamental change imaginable.

In all of our efforts to collaborate for change, we value relationships, and approach our work with respect for all people and all life on Earth. We strive to maintain the perspective and practice of antiracism, antisexism, anti-homophobia, and anti-oppression generally.

We are entering an era of common sense transformation were collective creativity, organized people power and values rooted in respect for the diversity of all life can win over greed, exploitation and fear.

A just, democratic, peaceful, ecological future is ours to build together....