In its
simplest and broadest definition, a meme is an idea. On a deeper level, I would describe a meme as
a form of communication – a transmission device that allows one individual’s
thoughts and visions to enter the mind of another. Memes are anything and everything that
surrounds us.
According
to Dawkins, memes and genes are the only two things that can be passed from one
human to the other. Decreasing by 50
percent with each passing generation, Dawkins explains that genes deteriorate
over time, but that memes are capable of persisting much longer; a good poem,
song, or invention will stick around long after the meme’s originator has
passed. But, is it possible for memes to
ever be eradicated? Genes are a physical
thing, so when their physical matter is no longer present, then they are
gone. However, memes are not tangible
and can only live within the minds of living creatures. So if the last living creature to possess the
meme/idea within its mind were to die, would it be accurate to say that the
meme no longer exists either? Beautiful
minds such as Albert Einstein and Galileo Galilei likely possessed memes that
they never released into the world, so I would argue that they no longer exist,
but what about the memes that are released into the world? Even if the minds that held them no longer
exist, does that mean the meme itself no longer exists?
Sorry for
the tangent. Allow me to get back on track
with the response questions. A meme is
an intellectual term coined by a brilliant man who attempted to explore the
word by examining its meanings and implications. Today, most people understand a meme to be a
witty, often one-dimensional, idea that is presented via the Internet using
pictures and words. Starting as an idea
(essentially about an idea), the meme has been marginalized to a specific
medium and often assumes rather insignificant meaning.
This is a prime example of why
applying biological theories to culture is rarely successful. People tend to dumb down ideas so that they
are more easily accessible for the general public. If one is to examine most cultural
traditions, beliefs, and practices, it is not difficult to see that they often
lack depth or rationale. For this
reason, we should be careful when we apply biological theories to culture. One is equipped with carefully reasoned
ideas, while the other is filled with norms that were created by someone trying
to give purpose and meaning to their life, without taking the time to realize
the absurdity of their claims. Most
biological theories will only lose their weight and depth if blended with
culture.
If memes are a way of communicating
ideas, then they are essential to “convergence media,” which is reliant on a
collaboration of ideas between multiple individuals. It has been evident through the presentations
so far, that artwork is becoming a much more collective process where several
people work together to convey an idea or meme.
Memes are a form of art, but we must be careful to not let the
attractive and entertaining nature of such work take away from the deeper ideas
embedded within the work. We also cannot
let the inherently pleasurable qualities of “convergence media” be an excuse to
abandon the thought, meaning, and introspection that so often inspires great
art pieces.
I do not
have a specific link to post, but I would suggest that people visit different
meme websites and think about how easily accessible art is becoming. Where it used to be that art – painting,
sculpting, singing, dancing, etc. – took talent to be recognized and
distributed to a mass audience (based on publicity for it being a quality art
piece), that anybody can create art and have it seen by millions of people
around the world. While I do recognize
the vast opportunities and advantages presented by such a connected, accessible
culture, I do think that it takes away from importance and recognition some
brilliant art pieces deserve.
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