I think the problem with meme is that it doesn't seem to add much, if anything it takes away from, the mountains of work already done in the history of ideas, & the history of philosophy, debating how ideas or concepts become and how they disappear, but not viewing these concepts as merely genetic but also as structural.
There is a sense in which we are born into a world which already has a fixed structure, cruel or not, & to which we are forced to comply, but not without hope.
I do share some of the concerns you have been expressing...and I the meme-theory really doesn't undermine any of the work done by great historians such as Foucault, or underplay critical theory.
I think the important things to consider here are mainly that the ideas that will spread will not necessarily be for the benefit of anyone, I also think that it allows us to see culture as more of a driving force in biological evolution.
Example, 1st the usual history/cultural analysis: the skating craze took off in 1950, it was to no one's advantage however, since both skater and manufacturer lost out through injury and lawsuits, only the lawyers made anything out of it.
What does peppering this story with the word "meme" add? The skating craze meme took off in 1950, it was a meme that was to no one's advantage however, since both lost out, only the lawyer meme gained.
As to biology it is less clear since this is sociology.
cockmongler is the best meme, grinman is a lie!
Norphax 3 years ago
I think the problem with meme is that it doesn't seem to add much, if anything it takes away from, the mountains of work already done in the history of ideas, & the history of philosophy, debating how ideas or concepts become and how they disappear, but not viewing these concepts as merely genetic but also as structural.
There is a sense in which we are born into a world which already has a fixed structure, cruel or not, & to which we are forced to comply, but not without hope.
plenipotentiarius 3 years ago
You raise some good points, which I may address the next time I do a video about memes!
LordImmolation 3 years ago
I do share some of the concerns you have been expressing...and I the meme-theory really doesn't undermine any of the work done by great historians such as Foucault, or underplay critical theory.
I think the important things to consider here are mainly that the ideas that will spread will not necessarily be for the benefit of anyone, I also think that it allows us to see culture as more of a driving force in biological evolution.
LordImmolation 3 years ago
Example, 1st the usual history/cultural analysis: the skating craze took off in 1950, it was to no one's advantage however, since both skater and manufacturer lost out through injury and lawsuits, only the lawyers made anything out of it.
What does peppering this story with the word "meme" add? The skating craze meme took off in 1950, it was a meme that was to no one's advantage however, since both lost out, only the lawyer meme gained.
As to biology it is less clear since this is sociology.
plenipotentiarius 3 years ago
can i be your friend
LimpLoser 3 years ago
genes are expressed as the phenotype of an organism, which of course is a living thing, so it is a process.
so i would say memes are expressed as collaborations of humans like clans, teams, companies, churches etc.
and it would be about the ecosystem of these groups that we talk about.
culture, civilization, humanity ?
Mork5 3 years ago