Meme
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme
The term "meme" (IPA: [miːm]), coined in 1976 by Richard Dawkins, refers to a replicator of cultural information that one mind transmits (verbally or by demonstration) to another mind. Dawkins said, Examples of memes are tunes, ideas, catch-phrases, clothes fashions, ways of making pots or of building arches. Other examples include god(s), concepts, ideas, theories, opinions, beliefs, practices, habits, dances and moods which propagate within a culture. A meme propagates itself as a unit of cultural evolution analogous in many ways to the gene (the unit of genetic information). Often memes propagate as more-or-less integrated cooperative sets or groups, referred to as memeplexes or meme-complexes.
Some proponents of memes suggest that memes have, as a fundamental property, evolution via natural selection — in a way very similar to Charles Darwin's ideas concerning biological evolution — on the premise that replication, mutation, survival and competition influence them. For example, while one idea may become extinct, other ideas will survive, spread and mutate — for better or for worse — through modification.
Some meme-theorists contend that memes most beneficial to their hosts will not necessarily survive; rather, those memes which replicate the most effectively spread best; which allows for the possibility that successful memes might prove detrimental to their hosts.
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This, in a nutshell, is what a meme is. I kind of like "sound bite" when I talk to folks I don't want to take time to explain it to. We know sound bites work. We see in current politics. We were subjected to it as kids. . .you know, Give a Hoot! Don't Pollute! What I would like to do in is craft succinct encapsulizations of good ideas. . but make them catchy, humorous. Like my one successful meme, "Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. YES, is the answer." Made that up as a tagline in the early 90s and now you can find it all over the place.
I suppose first we need to come up with a list of things we think can be addressed by planting these seeds, these sound bites. Btw, I stole the phrase Meme gardening from Zahai Stewart, a tech cutie from Denver, CO.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme
The term "meme" (IPA: [miːm]), coined in 1976 by Richard Dawkins, refers to a replicator of cultural information that one mind transmits (verbally or by demonstration) to another mind. Dawkins said, Examples of memes are tunes, ideas, catch-phrases, clothes fashions, ways of making pots or of building arches. Other examples include god(s), concepts, ideas, theories, opinions, beliefs, practices, habits, dances and moods which propagate within a culture. A meme propagates itself as a unit of cultural evolution analogous in many ways to the gene (the unit of genetic information). Often memes propagate as more-or-less integrated cooperative sets or groups, referred to as memeplexes or meme-complexes.
Some proponents of memes suggest that memes have, as a fundamental property, evolution via natural selection — in a way very similar to Charles Darwin's ideas concerning biological evolution — on the premise that replication, mutation, survival and competition influence them. For example, while one idea may become extinct, other ideas will survive, spread and mutate — for better or for worse — through modification.
Some meme-theorists contend that memes most beneficial to their hosts will not necessarily survive; rather, those memes which replicate the most effectively spread best; which allows for the possibility that successful memes might prove detrimental to their hosts.
* * * * * * *
This, in a nutshell, is what a meme is. I kind of like "sound bite" when I talk to folks I don't want to take time to explain it to. We know sound bites work. We see in current politics. We were subjected to it as kids. . .you know, Give a Hoot! Don't Pollute! What I would like to do in is craft succinct encapsulizations of good ideas. . but make them catchy, humorous. Like my one successful meme, "Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. YES, is the answer." Made that up as a tagline in the early 90s and now you can find it all over the place.
I suppose first we need to come up with a list of things we think can be addressed by planting these seeds, these sound bites. Btw, I stole the phrase Meme gardening from Zahai Stewart, a tech cutie from Denver, CO.
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SF Bay Area
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Re: What is a Meme?
Wed, July 5, 2006 - 9:39 AMAs I was taught:
The words like "we're in it together" are the meme fingers pointing to the meme moon of "cooperation" which then can unfold into the sky of a philosophy for approaching life.
This of course is just an analogy and its too cumbesome to make a good meme.
A meme would be: "good words make the ideas for a good life." -
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Re: What is a Meme?
Wed, July 5, 2006 - 1:46 PM>>This of course is just an analogy and its too cumbesome to make a good meme.
"We're in it together" works for me.
>>A meme would be: "good words make the ideas for a good life."
I like a recent meme that I believe has had a powerful effect on people, practice random acts of kindness. . I first noticed it in the 90s when it was a tagline people used in BBSs. "Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty". (It even has a wikipedia entry en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rand...f_kindness ) I also like the Zoroastrian "motto"? Right thoughts, right words, right actions.
Again, though, right by whose standard? For the compassionate, that which is "right" is good for everyone or for the majority. For a person from a left hand path religion like Satanism or Setianism, right is what is right for ME. And for the majority of people, right is whatever you were brought up to do.
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