Knowledge cannot traverse networks without context—the edges between cognitive actors are not neutral conduits but active shapers of meaning. Graph theory reveals that what matters is the structure of connections, not the physical terrain. Tie strength determines what information flows: weak ties bridge distant communities with novel ideas, strong ties reinforce local consensus. Ideas spread through networks as an epidemiology of representations—some propagate with high fidelity, others mutate or die out based on cognitive and social factors. Transmission is never passive; communication requires inference, with receivers reconstructing meaning by seeking interpretations that maximize cognitive effect. From oral myths passed across generations to cuneiform tablets to printed treatises to digital networks, each transmission medium shapes what knowledge survives and how it transforms. The medium is the message—form and content are inseparable. Framing effects demonstrate the stakes: identical information presented as gain versus loss produces opposite decisions. Context is not optional metadata; it is the infrastructure through which knowledge acquires meaning.