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The Histories and Origins of Memetics

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The Histories and Origins of Memetics Betwixt the Popular and Academic: The Histories and Origins of Memetics Brent K. Jesiek Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Science and Technology Studies Gary L. Downey (Chair) Megan Boler Barbara Reeves May 20, 2003 Blacksburg, Virginia Keywords: discipline formation, history, meme, memetics, origin stories, popularization Copyright 2003, Brent K. Jesiek Betwixt the Popular and Academic: The Histories and Origins of Memetics Brent K. Jesiek Abstract In this thesis I develop a contemporary history of memetics, or the field dedicated to the study of memes. Those working in the realm of meme theory have been generally concerned with developing either evolutionary or epidemiological approaches to the study of human culture, with memes viewed as discrete units of cultural transmission. At the center of my account is the argument that memetics has been characterized by an atypical pattern of growth, with the meme concept only moving toward greater academic legitimacy after significant development and diffusion in the popular realm. As revealed by my analysis, the history of memetics upends conventional understandings of discipline formation and the popularization of scientific ideas, making it a novel and informative case study in the realm of science and technology studies. Furthermore, this project underscores how the development of fields and disciplines is thoroughly intertwined with a larger social, cultural, and historical milieu. Acknowledgments I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family, friends, and colleagues for their invaluable encouragement and assistance as I worked on this project. I could mention countless individuals who selflessly gave their support, but I am particularly indebted to my wife Julie, my parents, my good friend Matt back in Michigan, and my fellow students and colleagues here at Virginia Tech. My committee members also deserve special thanks, not only for their willingness to participate in this process, but also for the time and energy that each of them devoted to this project. The finished product was made all the better in light of their countless comments, suggestions, and insights. iii Table of Contents Abstract.......................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................ iii Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................... iv Figures........................................................................................................................................... vi Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 Memetics: A Historical Primer................................................................................................... 1 Controversies in Meme Theory................................................................................................... 5 Literature Review........................................................................................................................ 9 Outsider and Insider Perspectives.......................................................................................... 9 Contextualist Historiography................................................................................................ 12 Disciplinary Development..................................................................................................... 13 Marginality and Hybridity.................................................................................................... 15 Science Popularization and the Boundaries of Science........................................................ 17 Tracing the Emergence of Memetics ........................................................................................ 19 Chapter 2: From Popular Science to Niche Popular............................................................... 21 Prelude to Popularization.......................................................................................................... 21 Toward the Tipping Point ......................................................................................................... 28 The Meme Enthusiasts.............................................................................................................. 35 Westoby’s Ecology of Intentions........................................................................................... 36 Brodie’s Virus of the Mind.................................................................................................... 37 Lynch’s Thought Contagion.................................................................................................. 41 The Popular Meme.................................................................................................................... 44 Dilution of Theory................................................................................................................. 44 Circular Theorizing .............................................................................................................. 45 Mixing Metaphors................................................................................................................. 47 Popular Predispositions........................................................................................................ 48 Conclusion................................................................................................................................ 51 Chapter 3: Meme Academe........................................................................................................ 52 Organizing a Discipline ............................................................................................................ 52 Journals................................................................................................................................. 53 iv Conferences........................................................................................................................... 55 Controversial Careers................................................................................................................ 55 Academic Memetics.................................................................................................................. 59 Memes, Genes, and Replicators............................................................................................ 62 The Geography of Meme Theorists .......................................................................................... 65 Origins of Controversy ............................................................................................................. 67 Disciplining the Amateurs ........................................................................................................ 70 Conclusion................................................................................................................................ 73 Chapter 4: Whose Meme Is It, Anyway? Exploring the Origins of Memetics...................... 75 Dawkins’s Meme ...................................................................................................................... 75 Memetics in Historical Context ................................................................................................ 80 Lynching Dawkins .................................................................................................................... 83 Dawkins: Inadvertent Founder and Ironic Spokesperson......................................................... 87 Conclusion................................................................................................................................ 90 Conclusion................................................................................................................................... 93 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................ 97 Vita ............................................................................................................................................. 111 v Figures Figure 2.1. Brodie’s Analogies……………………….………………………………………….39 vi Chapter 1: Introduction The term “meme” has become increasingly pervasive in recent years, particularly on the World Wide Web and in trendy cultural outlets such as Wired magazine. Given that I’m a long- time Internet user with a proclivity for exploring esoteric topics, it was perhaps only a matter of time before my encounters with this curious word would lead me to explore it in more detail. And as I would later come to recognize, my earlier experiences as an electrical engineering student and computer programmer probably heightened my affinity for the meme concept. As I started to research the topic, I uncovered a diverse body of authors and texts spanning multiple disciplines and decades, and my inquiries quickly led to more questions and answers. My initial quest to uncover the origin and meaning of the term eventually grew into this ambitious thesis: a contemporary history of memetics, or the field dedicated to the study
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