Meme: Cultural Viruses

Someone elsewhere asked what a meme is. I knew how I’d describe it. I’d describe it as a blog thing, a list of really random questions that someone answers on their blog, and then they tag other readers to do the same on their blogs, who then answer and tag others, and so it goes. They come in handy when you feel like blogging but don’t know what you want to write.

But there had to be a real definition too. So I went looking. Turns out it isn’t strictly an internet term. The term has been around for a long time.

Dictionary.com defines it as: a cultural item that is transmitted by repetition in a manner analogous to the biological transmission of genes.

It’s folklore! Another definition describes it as cultural viruses. It is a part of the culture that replicates itself and gets passed from person to person. It is culture that transmits itself verbally. It is an idea the reproduces itself and moves from one mind to the next. It’s perfect! I’ve even seen some blog meme’s mutate to better suit their environment (i.e. the person posting the blog). I’ve mutated a few myself to fit how I’d answer the questions.

And now we know.