Request for Examples of "Applied Memetics"

From: Evan (ess29@dana.ucc.nau.edu)
Date: Sat 05 Mar 2005 - 04:00:07 GMT

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    Greetings all.

    I am a graduate student in the MA Applied Sociology program here at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA. I'm attempting (with so far somewhat less than academic-discipline shaking success) to encourage at least the local incarnation of sociology to include some aspects of memetic theory.

    To that end, I'm attempting to gather some qualitative data about how the
    "meme meme" is used in how people interact. I'm interested in examples of how
    (if) people who have a concept of what memes are, use that concept in their daily lives. I'm not so much interested in the academic validity of the perception of memes or memetics that's applied, but in what it is and how it is applied.

    How do people identify certain things as memes and other things as not? Do they use the concept of memes as a "meaning lens" (or possibley as an immune system?) when viewing / interacting with people? How about when interacting with media such as television, movies, video games, internet sites, social networking sites, lists, or (pardon the expression) "books"?

    Do they ever intentionally "launch" or otherwise use memes?

    Do they consider any social scripts (for example "grow up, find your one true mate, reproduce, live happily ever after") or gendered role categories (for example "men do/are X, women do/are Y")as memes or memeplexes?

    ...And (especially) if so, specifically HOW is that understanding of memes applied and acted upon, and WHAT is the result on the individual person and their life?

    I would very much appreciate any such examples any of you would care to share, either with me directly or via the list.

    Thanks very much! Evan Stallcup ess29@dana.ucc.nau.edu

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