We often think of #memes as popular photos, videos, or phrases online. But the term “meme” was coined by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins to describe a behavior, style or idea as a unit of culture that can spread or disappear. From social movements to religion to Grumpy Cat. Even though most folks may not be aware of it, we’re sharing a popular concept from #science, every single day, across #socialmedia.
the critical discussion around the concept and whether it is useful or valid is interesting as well. It is certainly possible to draw a meme picture like this
I think one might argue that Dawkins' concept of "meme" might be, itself, an example of a failed meme: a unit of culture that has declined to near-extinction.
"Meme" today means exactly what people think it means when they use it — that's more or less how language works. "Meme" in Dawkins' sense has almost no active currency, aside from occasional historical reminders (such as this post). Maybe it's still a useful concept, maybe not — but I wouldn't call it science.
When was Dawkins credited with this? Because I recall reading about memes in Douglas Hofstadter's book Metamagical Themas in the 1980s. I had thought Hofstadter had come up with it first.
I get that Dawkins is out of his lane, since this is more properly Sociology or Cultural Anthropology, but using the meme/gene analogy implies a taxonomy of memes. An internet image meme is kind of like a biological virus that requires a host meme-infrastructure to propagate, so I kind of find the modern usage of meme a useful, of informal concept.
I didn't think of Dawkins's "memes" so much as "science," it's just an idea he came up with, it's not a field of study with experiments or findings. Just an analogy, "what if genes burn in culture instead of biology?"
It was helpful for clever atheists to explain religion though, you see, it's a MEMETIC MIND VIRUS that the sheep are INFECTED WITH, that's just SCIENCE
Jonatan Hildén
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •🤘 The Metal Dog 🤘
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •#RichardDawkins
Richard Grant
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •I think one might argue that Dawkins' concept of "meme" might be, itself, an example of a failed meme: a unit of culture that has declined to near-extinction.
"Meme" today means exactly what people think it means when they use it — that's more or less how language works. "Meme" in Dawkins' sense has almost no active currency, aside from occasional historical reminders (such as this post). Maybe it's still a useful concept, maybe not — but I wouldn't call it science.
Elisabeth M
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •Marty Fouts
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •Nonya Bidniss 🥥🌴
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •Magnus
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •I've been fighting the common use of the word meme for years.
I'm also trying to make all native English speakers understand that they are using the word "egregious" wrong. Listen to me!
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/egregio
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/egr%C3%A9gio
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/egregius
egregio - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
en.wiktionary.orgpeter alvaro
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •Groms
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •Anna Spanner
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •Grimpen Mar
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •Ed Heil
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •I didn't think of Dawkins's "memes" so much as "science," it's just an idea he came up with, it's not a field of study with experiments or findings. Just an analogy, "what if genes burn in culture instead of biology?"
It was helpful for clever atheists to explain religion though, you see, it's a MEMETIC MIND VIRUS that the sheep are INFECTED WITH, that's just SCIENCE
CaveDave
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •Jimmy Havok
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •Infrapink (he/his/him)
in reply to Sheril Kirshenbaum • • •