Meme is a term used to describe the spread and modification of ideas in a selection and reproduction context. They are sometimes compared to viruses as an analogy, in that ideas pass to new people from those who already have that idea ("transmission"), and that they will also change over time to become more effective at catching people's attention and remaining in their mind. This is because someone who contacts the idea but doesn't like it is unlikely to spread the idea to others, so the easily transmitted ideas spread further.
That is, there are two main ways ideas can spread - by being transmitted easily, or by remaining in someone's mind for a long time (having a low transmission rate but many opportunities for that transmission to occur). The term has also been applied to the spread of viral fads on the Internet such as certain YouTube videos, because the fads spread rapidly and are only introduced to new people through those who have already contacted it. These are in the category of being transmitted easily, and since they have low staying power, they rarely remain popular for more than a few months each.
Memes of Richard Dawkins
See also: Memes of Richard Dawkins
In a September 8, 2012 article supporters of the Question evolution campaign published an article entitled The memes of Richard Dawkins are weak and dying which cited data from the major web traffic tracking companies and Google trends suggesting that the memes Richard Dawkins memes have significantly diminished over time.[1] In addition, citing data from academic researchers, web traffic companies and Google trends, they presented data which suggests that the Christianity and biblical creationism memes are growing stronger over time in the world while the memes of global atheism and agnosticism are shrinking.[2]
Systematic attack on the memes of evolutionary belief, atheism and agnosticism
Furthermore, supporters of the Question evolution1 campaign have indicated that they have developed an aggressive plan to systematically attack the memes of Darwinism, atheism and agnosticism in the Western World and in the world at large and that Dawkins has not developed an effective counter plan. [3][4]
Richard Dawkins' lack of a counter plan to reverse the decline of global atheism and agnosticism
Also, on July 31, 2012 in an article entitled Evolutionists, atheists and agnostics: Where is your master plan to reverse your decline? supporters of the Question evolution campaign indicated that atheists, agnostics and evolutionists lack a plan to reverse their global decline.[5]
Atheism and secularism memes
On a worldwide basis, atheism is not a very robust meme and global atheism is shrinking. In the Western World due to immigration, the higher birth rates of religious people and other factors, the secularism and militant atheism memes are expected to decline.[6][7] Eric Kaufman writes: "Committed religious populations are growing in the West, and will reverse the march of secularism before 2050."[8]
Notes
- ↑ The memes of Richard Dawkins are weak and dying
- ↑ The memes of Richard Dawkins are weak and dying
- ↑ Question Evolution! Campaign: A systematic approach to attacking Darwinism
- ↑ Our group's plan, strategy and tactics for advancing the Question Evolution! Campaign
- ↑ Evolutionists, atheists and agnostics: Where is your master plan to reverse your decline?
- ↑ Early paper - Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London
- ↑ Why are 2012 and 2020 key years for Christian creationists and pro-lifers?
- ↑ Early paper - Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century by Eric Kaufmann, Belfer Center, Harvard University/Birkbeck College, University of London