Chapter 1
The biological origin of the meme
Chapter 2
The dawn of the internet meme
Chapter 3
Global memes and cultural translation
Chapter 4
The mechanics of virality
Chapter 5
Memes as a social force
Ch 1 · The biological origin of the meme
Quiz
Which five-word Latin palindrome, found in Pompeii, is considered an ancient pre-internet meme?
Quiz
In which 1976 book did scientist Richard Dawkins first introduce the concept of memes?
futura Origin of Memes
Richard Dawkins, in 'The Selfish Gene,' a cultural idea's unit, a meme!
Quiz
Which of Richard Dawkins's three survival factors describes how rapidly a meme copies and spreads?
Fun Fact
Origin of meme: Richard Dawkins coined 'meme' in 1976 to rhyme with 'gene,' wanting to explain how cultural ideas replicate and spread.
Quiz
Which biological structure did scientist Richard Dawkins compare memes to when explaining cultural transmission?
Glossary
meme (noun)
An idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture. Richard Dawkins coined the word in 1976 to describe cultural transmission modeled on genetic replication.
An idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture. Richard Dawkins coined the word in 1976 to describe cultural transmission modeled on genetic replication.