Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist, coined the term “meme” in reference to a “cultural gene.” Modeling culture after biological evolution, Dawkins proposes that ideas are like “living things.” Ideas infect people like viruses, and just like viruses that are stronger at defeating white blood cells and are able to spread among people, those ideas that are strongest survive.
Dawkins proposes these viral-ideas are memes, which include catch-phrases, melodies, fashion ideas, fads, and other cultural phenomenon. Internet memes are those ideas which spread quickly through cyberspace and infects popular culture: examples include LolCats, Rickrolling, Chocolate Rain, Potter Puppets etc.
Other memes exist as images. Think of images that have meme-like qualities. Then describe why you think these images are so memetic – have such infectious power.
i think a very famous meme is the mona lisa making people think of dan browns famous character robert langdon. or it may make one think of tom hanks who is the actor who plays langdon. in browns best selling book the divinchi code they mention the painting many times. so when i think of the mona lisa i see tom hanks!
ReplyDeletea sillouette is a good example of an image that basically everyone has seen at some point. A lot of people use the style in their work.
ReplyDeleteI think that most memes are so infectous because they're catchy. They get into peoples minds and then it's hard for them to leave because everything catches on for them. Such as rickroll; everyone finds that funny no matter who you are, and thats why it's so infectous.
ReplyDeletei think a good meme is in effect tot his day, many poeple are dressing in the same style in this century. the style everyone is dressing in is like a 90's look, with big thick glasses and bright colors, and also going back to old roots of wearing fitted pants. after certian famous poeple started wearing, it had a effect on alot of teenagers that will spread through out alot of people
ReplyDeleteI think that traffic signs are somewhat of a meme. Alot of people recognize them, and artists know that people are somewhat forced to pay attention to them, so they add signs to their artwork. Some artists could just insert the signs to make people pay attention to their work, or they could edit the signs to say whatever they want. Either way, it makes people pay attention to their work.
ReplyDeletei think the mcdonalds logo (golden arches) is a meme because no matter what part of the world your in if you see those you know it means fast food
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