Meme
Mac asked what a meme is, commenting that the
term is showing up everywhere. The Oxford
English Dictionary defines it as “a cultural element or behavioural
trait whose transmission and consequent persistence in a population, although
occurring by non-genetic means (esp. imitation), is considered as analogous to
the inheritance of a gene.”
In
other words, just as a physical trait such as eye color gets transmitted
genetically, certain catchy phrases, posters, videos, and so on run virally
through a population – these days, thanks especially to the internet.
What
gets passed on is usually trivial and humorous – a cat craving cheeseburgers, a
dog being shamed for bad behavior, or an infant talking like an adult. Its
origin was more serious. The term was used by biologist Richard Dawkins in 1976
in his book, The Selfish Gene. He was
thinking of more serious transmissions, such as religious belief, copycat
crime, art, fashion, etc.
The
basis of the word comes from the Greek.
It is a shortened form of μίμημα
[mimema], that which is imitated. In turn, that came from the verb μιμεῖσθαι [mimeisthai],
to imitate. And yes, a mime is related.
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