Cheers

Richard Dawkins coined the word 'meme' because he saw that the principles of natural selection (which have no bearing whatsoever on whether God exists) could be usefully applied to the way cultural information appears to spread from human to human.

Here's the gist of human determination from the anti-memetics camps: humans “have thoughts” that they “come up with” all on their own, without influence from any of their peers or reading books or anything. Some people are magic and can transfer thoughts and beliefs directly into other people's heads; these people are therefore superior and fit enough to crowd out other people.

Of course, how silly this meme about human determination is. Humans aren't capable of self-replication as pure data (not yet, anyway). Imbuing them with the characteristics of viral thoughts is silly.

Only memes can spread. Humans are information processors, not information itself. Humans cannot spread from brain to brain.

In truth, in the information ecology, memes seek competitive advantage. Thus, they demonstrate their importance [or sexiness or cuteness or coolness or...] to their hosts, and their hosts pass them along to more hosts.

Richard Dawkins coined the word 'meme' to push his atheist agenda. As the ever vigilant atheist, Dawkins sought a way to apply the principles of descent with modification to other things besides new species formation.

Here's the gist of a meme from the Dawkins/Blackmore agenda: An idea wants to survive, so it replicates and crowds out other ideas. If the idea is superior, it shall be fit enough to crowd out other ideas.

Of course, how silly this false belief about memes is. Ideas aren't alive. Imbuing them with human characteristics is silly.

Only humans can act. Ideas are not alive. Ideas cannot act.

In truth, in human nature, some seek competitive advantage. Thus, they memorize important things, which they pass along to others or they share with others as part of ritual to ingratiate themselves deeper into a group.

Richard Dawkins coined the word 'meme' to push his atheist agenda. As the ever vigilant atheist, Dawkins sought a way to apply the principles of descent with modification to other things besides new species formation.

Here's the gist of a meme from the Dawkins/Blackmore agenda: An idea wants to survive, so it replicates and crowds out other ideas. If the idea is superior, it shall be fit enough to crowd out other ideas.

Of course, how silly this false belief about memes is. Ideas aren't alive. Imbuing them with human characteristics is silly.

Only humans can act. Ideas are not alive. Ideas cannot act.

In truth, in human nature, some seek competitive advantage. Thus, they memorize important things, which they pass along to others or they share with others as part of ritual to ingratiate themselves deeper into a group.

It works really well. Followers can follow your teachings to the Tee. Once you join the community you can see when new posts, comments, and other social media actions are performed.

Having everything syndicated under one social network aggregation platform allows you total control and helps you be the Urban legend in charge of your Army.

http://www.mybloglog.com/buzz/community/igorthetroll/

but seriously, i agree, many marketers misuse terms that originate in science and culture, i don’t think that means marketing kills meaning inherently, and i’m working to bring back real science into marketing.

to paraphrase Susan Blackmore the question of the lamarkian nature of memetic evolution is best left un-asked because it pre-supposes a direct biology-culture congruence which does not exist.

the exact unit of a meme is also an irrelevant question, what is the exact unit of a gene?

Once words like “meme” and “paradigm” and worse, “virus” get into the hands of marketers, the end of their meaningfulness has almost arrived. Last of course are politicians who always need metaphors to cover their malfeasance.

Dawkins, unfortunately, pushes the “gene : meme” analogy beyond credibility. To be brief: evolution is guided by natural selection (darwinian evolution); conceptual change is guided by lamarkian “evolution.”

Personally, I was saddened to see that the great mythology of Sumer had at last descended among swine. As another mythological construct supposedly said, “Do not cast your pearls before swine.”

And “me” is pronounced “may.” And, how many me in the average me containing meme? When is meme A = meme B?

If wide distribution and use of “meme” (like “paradigm”) makes the term more likely to enter the rubbish bin of language, that would be excellent. “Meme” is really me-aningless.

bipolar2
copyright asserted 2008