I’m ready to risk some potential embarrassment and admit my ignorance outright: I don’t understand the word “meme” — at all. I have seen the word used quite frequently (including by some TC contributors) and have read several definitions. But I just don’t get it. My hope is that some of our more erudite readers and contributors can explain it to me.
Here’s what I’ve been able to pick up so far:
-It is a widely repeated or imitated cultural idea, image, or practice.
-It supposedly acts in a manner similar to a gene, in the sense that through vast repetitions, more environmentally “fit” versions of the meme gain greater sticking power.
-With reference to the Internet, it often just means “fad.”
Some questions I have:
-Aren’t we just talking about the social reproduction of culture here — something that happens in everyday socialization?
-What is the unit of a “meme?” How does one delineate the parameters of a “meme” within a sea of culture?
-What on earth would make us think that culture is evolutionary, rather than just constantly changing without particular order?
-Isn’t the word “meme” just an attempt to make discussions of culture sound more sciencey?
Comments 3
Kenneth M. Kambara — April 29, 2009
I like this post, despite my habit of readily embracing terms like meme & my penchant for coining neologisms. I am wary of biological metaphors {sorry any of you population ecologists in org. sociology out there}, as well as attempts for the social sciences to sound more sciencey.
In my mind, memes serve the function of cultural transmission, in all of their manifestations, often in terms of cultural products or their repurposing. Example:: click here. The above meme is just a fad, but embedded within the meanings of the rituals of the everyday. Watercooler banter, sports talk, e-mail forwards/shared links/Facebook apps., etc.
In a Bourdieuean scheme of things, I see memes are occupying a place as objects/ideas within habitus.
Field:: social arena
Habitus:: perceptions/thoughts/actions
Meme:: repeated or imitated cultural idea, image, or practice
Doxa:: taken-for-granted values/beliefs
I smell a paper here. Any takers?
I think the unit of a meme is fluid as a representation of a cultural concept. I agree that culture isn't evolutionary, but trajectorial, but blame that on my Deleuzean roots.
Just thinking out loud here. I hope others add to this discussion.
Kenneth M. Kambara — April 29, 2009
OK, so forgive me, but I'm about to coin another meme. I call it the "Fake Tweeple" meme. Apparently, there are enough fake Twitterers of celebrities that some have resorted to adding "The Real __" prefix. In contrast, these "fakes" make no claims to the "real." It's cropped up quite a bit in the recent British Columbia provincial election:
Fake Carol James (NDP)
Fake Mike de Jong (Liberal)
Fake Gordon Campbell (Liberal)
ThickCulture » The 2009 BC Deflection:: The BC Liberal Carbon Tax Under NDP Fire — June 17, 2009
[...] would the candidates & the “Fake Tweeple” candidates say? tags: axe the tax, BC politics, BC-Liberal, Canada, carbon tax, Carole [...]