Memes are basic
units of idea (or memorable units), that transfer from one person
to another. Memes
are carried by people, and largely spread through language. The "survivability" of a meme
is determined by its propagation. If a person aquires a concept, a
paradigm, a song, whatever, and then begins to use it or describe it to others,
that meme may spread.
A culture can
be seen as a set of memes. These are the ideas that make up that culture.
English, capitalism, democracy, equality, rock and roll, each of these
is meme that is a part of American culture.
Cultural
evolution is a process almost identical to biological evolution, treating
memes as the unit of definition, rather than genes. As rock and roll
makes way for punk and heavy metal, the larger set of music memes shifts
in composition. The idea of "boy bands" takes hold in the minds of
teen girls, and I am tortured where I used to be merely annoyed. Even
my perception of those bands is likely a meme spread by my friends. One
said, "I hate N'Sync," so now I hate N'Sync.
Common memes
are faith, science, math, ethics, family . . . each of these can be found
in various cultures.