What is a Meme?

I can't recall the number of times that I have been asked, "What is a meme?" Actually, unitl I got into blogging, I never heard the word before. So, these brief definitions are for the newer bloggers.

Following are a number of definitions of a meme:

• An idea that, like a gene, can replicate and evolve.
• A unit of cultural information that represents a basic idea that can be transferred from one individual to another, and subjected to mutation, crossover and adaptation.
• A cultural unit (an idea or value or pattern of behavior) that is passed from one generation to another by non-genetic means (as by imitation); "memes are the cultural counterpart of genes".
• An idea, project, statement or even a question that is posted by one blog and responded to by other blogs.
• Viral encapsulated idea, with built-in feedback loop.

Obviously, the last 2 definitions are more focused on the blogger's definition.

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“Tag Your It” - Rules of Tag Protocol

Following are a number of rules that I have developed to help the newer bloggers better understand what it means to "tag" someone. Tagging is usually involved in the spreading of a "meme."

Rules:

• List the Tagee's name and/or blog name, with link, after you post your meme.
• Try and choose meme-friendly sites to participate.
• Go to their site and invite them to participate in the least obtrusive way possible.
• If you leave a comment after a specific post, have the courtesy to leave an appropriate post specific comment. Then invite them to participate in the meme.
• Invite, never challenge; ask, never demand!
• If you truly believe in the benefit of this particular meme, go ahead and explain the benefits, but always leave the tagee a dignified way to say “no.”

Some memes can be very beneficial to the tager, to the tagee, to both, or to neither. Try not to get involved in memes that have little or no benefit for the site that your are tagging. Like network marketing, some memes only benefit the first ones in. There needs to be some benefit for the participants that get in late.

Memes can be fun and/or revealing. Join in these if it feels good. Some can be an outright waste of time.

Memes are not for everyone. Some people will never participate no matter how beneficial the meme is. If someone says “no” to a meme invite, respect that decision.

When deciding whether or not to get involved in a meme, the overriding concern should be whether your readers will gain some benefit by reading it. Some of the obvious benefits would be that your readers:

• Will gain some insight into who you are (that could be good or bad).
• Gain some intrinsic value from the subject matter.
• Would like to get involved themselves.
• Would find humor in it.
• Would learn something.

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