- memes can be thought of us as units of culture that we transmit to one another. - this is analogous to genes: genes are units of biological information that replicate themselves from generation to generation, from body to body; memes are units of cultural information that replicate and transmit themselves from mind to mind. - memes might be songs, ideas, slang, fashion trends, art, speech, rituals, themes, and any other “unit” that make up or influence our social behavior, norms, knoweldge, attitudes, and habits. - critics of this perspective posit that culture exists on a continuum with memes being “arbitrary constructs of the observer”. - when we consider that [[{3.1a} algorithmic monoculture requires memeification and turns users into evangelists]] and [[{3.1a1} algorithmic monoculture is memeifying our politics]]… - [[McMullin, Tara - Beyond Creating Versus Consuming - 2023-07-17|tara mcmullin defines]] memes as “artifact[s] of social interaction and iteration.” >[!question] question: >how does this connect to [[{3.1a} algorithmic monoculture requires memeification and turns users into evangelists]] / [[{3.1a1} algorithmic monoculture is memeifying our politics]]? are politics a unit of culture?… **how do you have a memed monoculture if memes themselves are *units* of culture?** i suppose it’s that we’re replicating and transmitting the same units of culture over and over.