Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Memetics has long been viewed as a quasi-discipline, as something good for light paper-back reading, or an interesting article in the New York Times, but lacking in true academic muscle. It is the purpose of this paper to not only briefly demonstrate the failings of the “field” of memetics as it exists today (for these have espoused to near exhaustion by others) but also, and more importantly, begin a dialogue highlighting the positive aspects of the theory and present ways which sociologists can and should be looking to incorporate them into our own work. It is important to note that my goal here is to facilitate a dialogue for the betterment of sociology by bringing to light areas where we could learn from memetics. I am in no way suggesting that memetics is “the wave of the future” while sociology is a “thing of the past.” What I am suggesting is that “memes” can be useful tools for exploring social issues and social change.