• danc4498@lemmy.worldEnglish
    22·
    2 years ago

    The origin of the words meme implied it had to spread to become a meme.

    The word has definitely changed in meaning.

    • Hawke@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      2 years ago

      It doesn’t really need to spread. If you take the gene comparison, a meme that doesn’t spread is like a person who has no kids. They still have genes even if they don’t spread them.

      • danc4498@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        2 years ago

        Yeah, I guess that’s true. I just always thought of the phrase referring to the things that spread, but memes and genes can die without spreading.