Atheism may not be a religion, but does it still qualify as a "meme"? NOTE: If you don't know anything about memetics, PLEASE don't embarrass yourself by replying until you've done your homework! Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme
and
http://www.memecentral.com/
2007-10-01 14:51:10 · 8 answers · asked by 222 Sexy 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Thanks for all the good responses thus far. I didn't atheism would be considered a "meme", but I wondered if the concept of non-belief could be mis-construed as such (if that makes sense).
"Pastafarian"
2007-10-01 15:14:26 · update #1
Thanks for all the good responses thus far. I didn't think atheism would be considered a "meme", but I wondered if the concept of non-belief could be mis-construed as such (if that makes sense).
"Pastafarian"
2007-10-01 15:15:02 · update #2
It is the rejection of a meme. Religion is a viral meme that propagates through emotional manipulation. Atheism is a lack of belief in the existence of any gods.
I think the reason that atheists are generally unorganized is because they really don't have any commonality except that lack of belief. If it was a meme, then atheism, like religion, would be more organized and pervasive. Most atheists that I know came from religious families and only met other atheists after deconverting.
This might be changing, though. Now with the Internet, atheists are able to socialize with others more easily and give their reasons for their lack of belief in gods. This might have become a meme now. One can only hope. It's about time that our superstitious memes were replaced with rational ones.
2007-10-01 14:53:20 · answer #1 · answered by nondescript 7 · 11⤊ 0⤋
I have read about it... and no, it's not a meme. It's not something that is "passed down" as normal belief is generation after generation. Though, I have wondered about the meme... it does lend truth to the idea of Akasha (no, not from the Vampire Chronicles), on a more basic level, rather than a universal spiritual consciousness level. And it does make me wonder about the change in beliefs... look at how long Polytheism was dominant compared to Monotheism... and Monotheism wasn't dominant till it was spread more through violence and force than an actual acceptance (in the beginning). I, personally, don't think the meme is as straight-forward as is presented on the scientific level.
2007-10-01 22:00:43 · answer #2 · answered by River 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Atheism in it's simplest terms: Is the rejection of a higher power (and theism) due to lack of empirical evidence.
Memetics has absolutely nothing to do with Atheism.
2007-10-01 22:07:42 · answer #3 · answered by Stedway 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. It is no more memetic than choosing to not believe in santa or the tooth fairy. It fosters no belief and neither does it instruct others to. It is individual, stand alone: you don't get a bunch of twits in a room preaching the glories of atheism, do you?
2007-10-01 21:57:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Hope it is. Our progressing secular society is pushing away from Bronze Age myths.
2007-10-01 21:53:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
No.
There's nothing about atheism that resembles a meme.
You should read your own links.
2007-10-01 21:53:38 · answer #6 · answered by ? 5 · 7⤊ 0⤋
Some other time, when I read more of Dawkins' work.
2007-10-01 21:57:05 · answer #7 · answered by Lionheart ® 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No; theism is a meme.
2007-10-01 21:56:00 · answer #8 · answered by Dreamstuff Entity 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋