Are Memes Real?
The word "meme" was coined by scientist Richard Dawkins to describe the cultural equivalent of a gene. A meme is a cultural practice, habit or belief that spreads quickly and is passed on from one generation to the next. Another analogy is that a meme is a kind of cultural virus. Memes can have positive, negative, neutral or simply trivial effects on society. Some examples of memes are popular brands, racism, religions, patriotism, popular songs, bands, movies and TV shows and sports. There are also more subtle memes, such as beliefs about the economy or state of the world. We might say there are optimistic and pessimistic memes and abundance and poverty memes. Perhaps the most empowering thing about recognizing memes is that once you see them you can choose whether to "catch" them or not.