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A review by osmose
The Meme Machine by Susan Blackmore
4.0
The Meme Machine had more to offer than what I was ready for; the (potential) explanatory power of memetics as theorized by Blackmore goes far beyond what I was expecting. A definitely thought-provoking read that forces you into an unfamiliar yet rich perspective on the dynamics of human behaviour. I liked how the idea of memes—as the homologue of genes but on the cultural level and coevolving along with them—provided a new way of approaching nature vs/and culture questions. Blackmore showed that memetics can nicely complement sociobiology, filling in its explanatory gaps.
I'm still unsure what I think of many of the ideas presented in the Meme Machine and how the theory will react to tentative falsification. But whatever happens to memetics, Blackmore's exploration of it will remain fascinating—a piece of originality.
I'm still unsure what I think of many of the ideas presented in the Meme Machine and how the theory will react to tentative falsification. But whatever happens to memetics, Blackmore's exploration of it will remain fascinating—a piece of originality.