From the Burns reading entitled “From Memes to Mashups: Creating Content from Content.”

“In fact, in a culture of disposability, the genre of the mash–up might well have benefited from its underground status, which adds to its subversive cache. The music is effectively contraband and is only permitted to exist to the extent that it remains below a commercial radar.” p. 77

Definition:

• the notion that products can simply be thrown away, indicating a lack of responsibility for the resources one consumes
• tiring quickly of clothes, cars, electrical goods, music, etc > throw away > replace
• disposing of things when they break or fall out of fashion
• promotes a cycle of consumption
• causes a person’s relationship with things/items/people to be transient and artificial

The term “culture of disposability” can help to explain the popularity, relevance, success, and dying out of memes and mashups.