4 ms·

"Memes" are supposed to be units of cultural replication, just like genes are units of biological replication. We've had memes ever since we've had society.

• TeMPOraL 11y ago
  There are two meanings for this word. One is what you described. The other is cat pictures with text labels.
  • greggyb 11y ago
    I would argue that the latter is just a very specialized instance of the former. What is the cat picture with formulaic text if not a unit of cultural matter being shared and evolving? We have random mutations: Socially awkward penguin[0] -> Socially awesome penguin[1] Then there's sexual reproduction: Socially awkward penguin + socially awesome penguin -> socially awksome penguin[2] The process of natural selection is popular appeal. There is certainly room for debate as to the cultural merit of popular internet memes, but I don't think there's a strong argument that they are not an instance of the concept as coined by Dawkins. An excerpt from the intro Wikipedia entry on memes: >an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture".[2] A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols, or practices that can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena with a mimicked theme. Supporters of the concept regard memes as cultural analogues to genes in that they self-replicate, mutate, and respond to selective pressures.[3] [0]http://streetcouch.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Socially-Awkward-Penguin-12.jpg http://streetcouch.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Socially-A... [1]http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/7d/f1/ce/7df1cead8ce1cd26ac25aee712cc533e.jpg http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/7d/f1/ce/7df1cead8ce1... [2]http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/27/54/8d/27548d1ea6e7f218a213724a97185795.jpg http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/27/54/8d/27548d1ea6e7... [3]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme