Web and Tech Links: 14 July 2009

Hi, interesting post about memes indeed and the news from the election. Even more interesting how this post travels around the globe, I have seen this post come up in many different sites, even my own ( http://bit.ly/OO0Z6 ).

I have been writing about memes for some time, question i have been getting is why would we call this a meme and not just an idea that is spreading?

What do you think is the answer?

In the context of the web, I believe in part memes are just that, ideas that are replicated, evolve, and transferred from one individual to another, on the web from site to site. As I understand it the term “meme” is a broader classification that not only includes the “spreading of "ideas" but words, catch phrases just like “lipstick on a pig.” I’ve read that meme’s can even be behavioral (i.e. how to make fire) and even mathematical equations and line drawings which are stylistic by nature. As language evolves the term “meme” evolves, on the web, sites serve as "memes" (Techmeme is a good example ) if you follow the evolution of a post, transmittal is the key. So it’s more than just an “idea.” Of course this is a subjective interpretation and could be debated. Thanks for writing, food for thought, I’ll check out your site.