The Power of Memetics

I find that the best way to think about almost any idea -- whether religious, ideological, cultural, commercial, etc. -- is through the lens of memetics: the art and science of infectious ideas. What others call “magick” I call memetic engineering – intentional implanting of memes into your own mind and the minds of others to produce desired effects. The idea that there is some greater metaphysical significance to this activity is delusion in my opinion – that is itself a viral memeplex often called “religion” or “occultism”.

A great example of a meme (or memeplex) is Jediism. The fact that you are at this site means that Jedi memes have infected your mind -- memes which have propagated and mutated since the work of memetic engineers like Joseph Campbell, Alan Watts and George Lucas. Sites like this continue the propagation of Jediism, as do your own efforts to infect others with this way of thinking, using words, symbols, rituals, artifacts, clothing, hierarchy, etc. At some point this memeplex may die out or mutate beyond recognition, or it may become virulent and produced some kind of cultural revolution. The entire process may even be susceptible to quantitative analysis.

What is my point? Just to be aware of the power of memes, and to try to be rational about them. Analyze your mind and behavior and ask yourself, about every idea: am I just a carrier for this mental virus, or am I getting some benefit from it? Is this meme symbiotic, or parasitic? It's a beautifully nihilistic, yet illuminating way of thinking about your thoughts and culture. You are taught to practice good physical hygiene to prevent your body from becoming a carrier of viruses, but are you also practicing good memetic hygiene?

And with this post, I have implanted still more memes in your mind.

The mind seems to use shortcuts for things which it deems of little importance, and memories from cultural exposure provide a pool of solutions to problems it can just copy. I don't think that is the same as a virus, because all it takes is some awareness to challenge and destroy a meme. The virus analogy does makes me wonder how much the subconscious has working access to life memories though. Meme's on the surface seem to just be memory plus motivation - but if your subconscious can access and work with them as processes to drive emotion, well then I can better accept the virus analogy. Otherwise it places too much emphasis on the power of the meme when instead the result of a meme's power would be the laziness of the person to consider the meme.

I think that a good example of this can be seen in advertisement. Constantly bombarding people with “ideas” till they believe they want whatever it is.

I would wonder how someone more aware of this effect would stand up to this though. And, Won-Tay Lor, out of curiosity… How would you view yourself being at a site of Jediism? Would it be the effect of memes? What I mean is, are all religions simply results of memes or could some be from another source? :huh:

This is funny cuz my occupation on my facebook profile is 'resident memeticist'.

I was infected with the Jedi Memes at age 7 and love it. I do not take anything on faith. And Have practice Martial arts and Yoga and Qui King since I was a Child.
And read the work of Joseph Campbell, Alan Watts in my late teens as well as Marcus Aurelius and many other.
Having follow my own Jedi path alone for decades I'm very glad to be here.