Richard Dawkins reflects on the journey of the meme concept

In a recent conversation at the Hay Festival in the United Kingdom, Richard Dawkins, a prominent evolutionary biologist, discussed his pioneering work that introduced the term 'meme' in his 1972 book. Initially, the concept was intended to describe the replication of cultural elements in a manner analogous to genetic replication in nature. The discussion highlighted how, over the years, the word has evolved and drastically changed meanings, especially with the rise of the internet. Dawkins noted that it was in 1993 when the term began to be specifically linked to internet memes by author Mike Godwin, who illustrated how images, captions, and phrases spread rapidly online. The 2010s saw memes become a significant component of digital culture, influencing user interactions and even political discourse. During the talk, Dawkins humorously acknowledged the unexpected manner in which his term has been applied, recognizing it as part of a broader cultural phenomenon that has taken on a life of its own on social media platforms. Despite the various forms memes now take, from humorous content to serious political commentary, Dawkins reflected on the persistent nature of memes as tools for replication, adapting to the modern digital landscape, while also emphasizing his own stance on the misinterpretation of his original concept. In addition to his reflections on memes, Dawkins continues to engage with discussions around evolution, cultural commentary, and his work on atheism and religion, as displayed in his notable book from 2006.