Memes: The New Replicators

Richard DawkinsPresented by Jason Ward

ACWR 104

Summary 1/3

Dawkins builds on Darwin’s theory of biological evolution but explains that there are other types of evolution. He points out that the transmission of culture is like the transmission of genes because both work through a copying process that involves change in subsequent copies, eventually creating a new species or a new language. Dawkins points out that this process is not confined to human culture, giving the example of bird songs that evolve through errors in copying.

Summary 2/3 He states that cultural evolution can be seen in

many fields ranging from fashion to technology. Dawkins believes that a new term is needed that shows cultural evolution’s connection to genetic evolution and so coined the term meme to describe a “unit of cultural transmission.” He describes the meme as behaving like a virus, which is transmitted not as a physical infection, but through imitation and language. He points out that the term ‘selfish meme’ is a metaphor for how they behave because the sole interest of a meme is in its own propagation rather than the wellbeing of its host.

Summary 3/3 He describes how some memes can have very negative

effects on society, such as religious intolerance, while others spread good ideas and scientific advances. Individually, we can leave our mark on the Earth by creating an idea that outlives our genes. He suggests that the survival rate of a meme such as a scientific idea might be measured by counting the times this idea is mentioned in journals. Dawkins concludes that although we are essentially machines designed to pass on our genes, we also transmit memes, and we have the potential to change the latter. [Note: This is 274 words do not go beyond 300!]

Do you think that Dawkins needed to invent

the term meme? Yes. It is something that already existed but

because it had no name it was hard to describe how society is shaped through the transmission of thoughts between minds. The term mind-virus would have worked just as well to describe the process of replication and mutation that shapes our cultures but a virus is always negative whereas memes can also be positive because they are analogous to genes, which are units of evolution rather than destruction.

Do you think that ‘Blind Faith’ is a

destructive meme? It depends. If ‘blind faith’ leads people

to hurt others because of an unquestioning response to some political belief, religious book or idea then yes. However, if a person’s blind faith causes them to have a better outlook on the world and only do positive things for it and its inhabitants, then it is not always a bad thing.

Do you believe that we have the power to rebel against

selfish memes? Sometimes. Memes such as xenophobia are very strong because they provide an easy way to explain our problems, (blame the foreigners!), and explain our primitive fear of those that do not look like our immediate family. However, rationally we know that it is not fair to persecute foreigners because where you are born is not a choice, we are all foreign to someone. Recognizing that xenophobia is a kind of mind virus rather than a healthy rational thought might help to fight against beliefs which stem from this mental ‘sickness.’