Has anyone heard of the theory that ideas are the same as viruses? You can become infected through exposure, they spread through communities and beyond. They mutate and evolve etc. Whos theory is it? Do you think it is a useful analogy?
by 
Spaceball
ANSWERS: 4
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G'day Spaceball, Thanks for your question. The term is memes and it was created by Richard Dawkins in 1976 in his book "The Selfish Gene". The analogy was towards genes. I think that the comparison is a thought provoking one. I have attached sources for your reference. Regards Wikipedia Meme http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memes Answers.com http://www.answers.com/meme&r=67
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I think your'e referring to Richard Dawkin's meme theory ("memetics") which has been extended by others since. I personally think it's silly to compare ideas/concepts/etc to viruses because viruses are completely predictable. "Memes" as imagined by Dawkins and others do not act in any way like viruses.
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It's also a very popular way to explain social activity among different groups.
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I couldn't tell you who first has this notion. It sounds reasonable as an analogy for the spread and development of ideas. They are not living things, however they do need a host and must be nourished by thought to grow. It is reasonable also to think that if one is susceptible to a thought, more or less, they could be a vector for it. An idea is quit like some living things. They are a thing that needs an environment that will sustain the possibility of germination and/or growth, blah, blah, blah...like seeds for a garden. Give them the right soil and care, they will flourish, don't care about them and eventually they die.
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