Mémétique

Mémétique is a field of study that uses an evolutionary approach to understand the transmission of cultural information. It views ideas, beliefs, behaviors, and other cultural elements as memes, which are analogous to genes in biological evolution. Memes are units of cultural transmission that can replicate, mutate, and be subject to selection. The term "meme" was coined by Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene.

The core idea behind mémétique is that the spread and persistence of cultural elements are not random but follow patterns of replication and selection similar to biological evolution. Successful memes are those that are effectively transmitted from one mind to another, often by imitation, communication, or education. These successful memes can spread widely and become dominant within a culture, while less successful memes may fade away.

Mémétique explores various factors that influence meme transmission, such as the attractiveness of the idea, its usefulness, its emotional resonance, and the social network through which it spreads. It can be applied to understand phenomena like the spread of fashion trends, religious beliefs, scientific theories, and even political ideologies. Critics of mémétique sometimes argue that it oversimplifies complex cultural processes or that the analogy to genetics is too loose. Despite these criticisms, mémétique remains a framework for analyzing cultural evolution and the dynamics of information transfer in human societies.