Just what is a Meme, Anyways?

Who would have thought that Scientific America would have written an article about memes? And just what is a meme, you ask? (It’s ok, lots of people use the word without having any idea what it really is.) “Memes are stories, songs, habits, skills, inventions and ways of doing things that we copy from person to person by imitation. Human nature can be explained by evolutionary theory, but only when we consider evolving memes as well as genes.” So even something like “Ring around the Rosy…” started out as a meme. “The most obvious examples of this phenomenon are “viral” memes. Chain letters (both hard-copy and e-mail) consist of little bits of written information, including a “copy-me” instruction backed up with threats (if you break the chain you will suffer bad luck) or promises (you’ll receive money and you can help your friends). It does not matter that the threats and promises are empty and your effort in copying the letters is wasted. These memes have an internal structure that ensures their own propagation.” Of course not everything with this viral structure will succeed. And guess what? They even have a name now for the study of memes. Memetics! [via UK Memes Central]

Oh, and the word meme? It’s not pronounced “me-me” like the word “me” said two times in a row. It’s pronounced like cream or dream. So now meme me!