Reading Response 3 - Emily Bichler

     1.  In your own words, how would you define the term meme?A meme is an idea that have been exaggerated or altered for entertainment sake and can be shared among others. It holds a different meaning for each person. 
     2.  What are some definitions of the term meme as it is used in contemporary internet media and culture? A meme is an idea, behavior or style that spreads from person to person within a culture.
   3.  How does Richard Dawkins define the term meme?Dawkins defines a meme similar to a gene, with the full name of minimeme. He defines them primarily in a non-material sense, living, existing, and multiplying only by human minds and subsequent cultural behavior.     4. What is the connection between memetics and genetics established by Dawkins? How can Darwinian thought be applied to media and culture?
Dawkins believed memes just like genes go through mutation and evolution. Memes are passed down from one to another with only half their traits making it to the next one. Like genes certain memes are more successful than others.
Darwinian thought can somewhat be applied to media and culture with the general idea of how memes might have started and pass on through the years. Memes rapid change and alter over time, but the meaning alter with it. The first intention of most memes is lost soon after a few generations of it. This is extremely similar to genes. We tend to forget why or where one meme might have come from. An example of the a meme that is really popular is condescending Wonka.  
    5.   What problems do you see in applying biological theories to culture?The biggest issue I see with memes is how overtime if memes are comparable to genes then I feel like eventually the original meaning of all memes becomes completely lost. The original file in which the idea comes from overtime does not even exist at some point because all the sarcasm causes the original to become "lost".     6. How does the concept of the meme relate to creating artworks in the context of "convergence media"?
To understand that greater meaning of some memes it is important to have the political and social background that would help you to understand this meme. Without this prior knowledge the "Artwork" itself doesn't exist because the greater meaning is misinterpreted.