Memes & Memetics
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Memes are defined as units of cultural inheritance that transmit ideas or behaviors through imitation and symbolic communication, akin to a viral propagation mechanism. Richard Dawkins popularized the concept in his book 'The Selfish Gene,' linking memes to natural selection and suggesting they survive in a 'belief pool' similar to genetic competition. Memetics, the study of ideational transmission, remains controversial, with varying opinions on its implications for free will and religion.
Memes & Memetics
- 2. Definition of Meme “A unit of cultural inheritance” A meme consists of any idea or behavior that can pass from one person to another by learning or imitation Typically propagated by symbolic communication or language, but not limited to that Propagation through contagion, analogous to a virus
- 3. Jokes & Beliefs Gossip Examples of Memes Gestures Practices
- 4. Fashion Beauty Examples of Memes Give me Liberty or Music Phrases Give me Death!
- 6. Richard Dawkins The concept of the meme was first used by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins Became popular with the publication of his book “The Selfish Gene” in 1976
- 7. Memeplexes Groups of memes can work symbiotically together giving rise to memeplexes They exist together because they benefit each other
- 8. Ideologies Technologies Memeplexes Religions Philosophies
- 9. Natural Selection Memes have other analogies to Charles Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection replication & inheritance variation & mutation competition & selection genes compete in the “gene pool” through natural selection giving rise to evolution memes survive in the “belief pool” through a similar selection process
- 10. Memetics “The study of of the transmission of ideas” Applying tools from genetics to understanding ideas is useful There is not a scientific consensus on memes some say “a nice metaphor” some say “denies free will” same say “anti-religious” But it does explain some things that don’t fit in evolutionary psychology
- 11. Selfish Memes Evolution (genetic or memetic) is not about the individual, but the success of replication Thus like genes, they do not have to be beneficial to their hosts The only thing a meme “cares” about is propagation
- 12. Infectious Memes “When you plant a fertile meme in my mind you literally parasitize my brain, turning it into a vehicle for the meme’s propagation in just the way that a virus may parasitize the genetic mechanism of a host cell.” — N.K. Humphrey, The Selfish Gene
- 13. Meme Propogation Some memes propagate by being effective or useful language agriculture scientific method However, memes also propagate through features and weakness of the human psyche emotional appeal need for hope bandwagon
- 14. Memes as Viruses If memes can be compared to viruses, they also are analogous to their viruses properties of infection and for immunity infection proselytization, fear, indoctrination immunity doctrine, contempt for knowledge, dogmatism, emotional hijacking
- 15. Thoughts Contagion Some thought about transmission (See Wikipedia on Meme) Quality of parenthood Efficacy of parenthood Proselytic Preservational Adversative Cognitive Motivational
- 16. Memes as a Meme The idea of memes itself is a meme. You are now infected