MEMEPLEX Meaning and
Definition
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A "memeplex" refers to a complex of memes that work together as a cohesive unit or system of ideas. Coined by Richard Dawkins, the term combines "meme" (an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture) and "plex" (short for complex, indicating a collection or system of interrelated elements). This concept emphasizes how memes can often exist not as isolated entities, but as interconnected clusters that influence and reinforce each other.
A memeplex typically consists of a set of memes that form a mutually supportive network within a cultural context. These memes may include beliefs, values, rituals, language patterns, symbols, and other cultural norms. Each meme in the memeplex benefits from and contributes to the survival and transmission of other related memes within the same complex. Together, they form a cohesive system that perpetuates itself by exploiting human minds as the "medium" for transmission.
Memeplexes can be seen as powerful tools for cultural replication and evolution, as they adapt and spread through various means, including social imitation, education, and communication. They can shape people's thoughts, behaviors, and perceptions, playing a significant role in the formation and maintenance of cultural identities and social structures. Memeplexes can vary in size and complexity, ranging from smaller, localized collections of memes within a subgroup to larger, societal-wide systems of interconnected memes.
Common Misspellings for MEMEPLEX
- nemeplex
- kemeplex
- jemeplex
- mwmeplex
- msmeplex
- mdmeplex
- mrmeplex
- m4meplex
- m3meplex
- meneplex
- mekeplex
- mejeplex
- memwplex
- memsplex
- memdplex
- memrplex
- mem4plex
- mem3plex
- memeolex
- memellex
Etymology of MEMEPLEX
The word "memeplex" is a combination of two terms, "meme" and "complex". The term "meme" was coined by the British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book "The Selfish Gene". He defined a meme as a cultural or behavioral unit that spreads from person to person within a culture, similar to how genes spread in biological organisms. Dawkins derived the term from the Greek word "mimeme", which means "imitated thing" or "that which is imitated". The term "complex" in "memeplex" refers to a system or group of interconnected and interrelated elements. So, a memeplex is a complex of memes, a collection of interrelated ideas, beliefs, or cultural practices that spread and evolve within a cultural environment.
