Considering
most men and women only pass down their genetic makeup to the next generation
of breeder, it is an interesting concept that memes are capable of just as much
achievement as the evolution of our genetic code. However, over the course of
the semester, this topic has been a hot button issue in many of my classes,
particularly in regards to feminism. Many women would rather pass down a meme
or a body of work that can keep the person, artist, or writer alive. Where the
genetic permeation of people is taken advantage of and is a product of
thousands of, now, nameless people who have contributed to your genetic
composition, people like Charles Darwin, Leonardo DaVinci, and Jane Austen will
live through their contributions to society through the arts and sciences.
This
is a daunting concept for me to fully understand because it presents an
existential crisis and raises the question of our own self-importance. Do we
truly matter in the long run if we are only passing down our biology? Does this
open up opportunities for men and women to make their own memes? However,
Dawkins concerns for the over production of memes is a real concern, if the
meme market is flooded, could they be considered real memes?
Quite surprised to see this at the end, Meredith.
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