Memetics and Memes
The cluster centers on Richard Dawkins' concept of memes as self-replicating cultural units that evolve like genes, often likened to mind viruses or parasites, with discussions on memetic evolution, propagation independent of host benefit, and examples like religions.
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You may be interested in the idea of memetics. Whether it's really "correct" in any absolute sense, there are some interesting ideas and models there for things like this.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memetics
Goodness, indeed. But, in the context of memes, this means ideas no longer have to be beneficial to their human hosts in order to proliferate. It used to be that you’d have to be at least moderately well-to-do (thus, capable financially and biologically) for extended periods of time in order for your ideas to appear in print and be spread. That is no longer the case: an idea might be deadly or ruinous within hours and still have enough time to go viral.
You're assuming memetic information propagates in the same way as genetic information. Not eating or having sex has been used to great memetic success historically.
I agree. If you're interested I discussed the evolutionary bit here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34186172(I'd propose "memetic evolution" or "memetic Darwinism" to avoid the association with like social darwinism and race "science" though.)
Just like any meme, it is optimized to self-reproduce and grow.
is this stating the "meme complex" idea using a different analogy?
It is a meme in Dawkins' sense.
I was under the impression that the whole point of a meme was to be copied and distributed.Aren’t those who are offended kinda missing the point?https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme[..]A meme (/miːm/ MEEM[1][2][3]) is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture—often with the aim of conveying a particular phenomenon, theme, or meaning re
I think maybe you underestimate memes. A meme is a self copying idea that propagates through “sentient” creatures, which can also include many animals. (Animals can become fearful of arbitrary non-threats through social transmission , for example, and populations of animals can develop cultural behaviors that persist generations after the stimulus for the behavior is removed)Memes are most powerful when they are packaged in complex structures, such as ideologies, cultures, or religion.Meme
typo in the title: mimetic != memetic