I’ve never seen Thelma & Louise.

That might not sound like a big deal, but I’m 41 years old and the movie has been out for more than 30 of those years. It is a classic. It was directed by Ridley Scott, whose other films I have seen and loved. Somehow, though, I never got around to this one.

Other WRAL Top Stories

This past weekend I worked at Raleigh's GalaxyCon, where Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon appeared together. Seeing them side by side brought Thelma & Louise right back into focus. And it made me stop and ask why I had never watched it.

I think I know the answer. I have seen the idea of the movie so many times, in so many places, that I convinced myself I already had. I’ve absorbed it through cultural references, parody, and homage. The iconic final shot of the car sailing into the canyon has been recreated in The Simpsons, Wayne’s World, and just about every buddy comedy since the early 1990s. I know the vibe. I get the gist. Or at least I thought I did.

This is what memes do, even before the internet gave them their current form. They reduce something rich and complex into a shorthand we all understand. They pass through generations and media, reshaped each time. Eventually, if you’re not careful, the meme replaces the original in your mind. You stop seeking out the source because you think you’ve already experienced it.

This happens more than we realize. People often quote lines from Casablanca without having seen the film. They recognize the Jaws theme but could not tell you how the film unfolds. Entire novels, movies, and historical events are boiled down into GIFs, sound bites, or trending clips. Our first experience with culture often comes in the form of commentary, rather than direct contact.

The problem is not just about missing out. It is about losing the chance to be surprised. When you finally watch a classic that has been referenced endlessly, it often feels very different from what you imagined. The pacing, the dialogue, the emotional weight — none of it fits into a single moment or punchline. It feels deeper. More human.

That is the difference between recognition and revelation. Memes give us recognition. But they rarely lead to the kind of discovery that makes something stick with you.

At GalaxyCon, I saw how fans build upon existing culture. Cosplayers bring characters to life in unexpected ways. Artists remix and reimagine beloved stories. Panels dig deep into the meaning behind our favorite franchises. It is exciting and creative. And it works best when people are familiar enough with the source material to add something meaningful.

So I am going to watch Thelma & Louise. Not because I feel guilty, but because I want to understand it for myself. I want to see what all those references were pointing to. I want to feel the full weight of what Davis and Sarandon created, not just the edited and repeated version I have seen in bits and pieces.

The meme might have brought me here. But it should not be the last word.

Greg Behr is the Senior Director of PR and Strategic Communications at the Raleigh-based agency Brasco.