• danc4498@lemmy.world
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    1 year 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.world
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      1 year 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.world
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        1 year 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.