I just came across a great 15 minute video by Dan Dennett titled “Ants, terrorism and the awesome power of memes.” For me it tied together in a scientific way, a number of concepts brought out in “The Power of Nightmares” and by Neal Stephenson‘s book “Snow Crash.”
Memes can be thought of as infectious ideas. Mr. Dennett compares the role of memes in the interaction of cultures to the role of germs as described by Jared Diamond in “Guns, Germs and Steel.” He suggests that we try to reduce the virulence of our memes in an attempt to protect cultures to which they are toxic.
We often try to protect endangered species because we believe that biological diversity is good (another meme). Since I also believe that cultural diversity is a good thing, it should follow that I would want to protect other cultures from the potentially toxic memes of my own culture. On the other hand, I do not want to be shielded from foreign ideas, I just don’t want them forced on me. (Read on …)