This post introduces the memetic virology and epidemiology. The topic here is not exhausted. It should be taken as the common-sense prelude.

The practice of memetics

If memes are entities within the realm of the mind, parallel to entities (genes) in the domain of the body, and if memes appear as viruses of the mind, then techniques of virology and epidemiology not only could but should be applied to memes in practical reality.

Such a conclusion is so obvious that it could already serve as the post’s conclusion.

But then, it is precisely this obviousness that struck me, for it took me more than 20 years of studying memetics before I was infected with it. But then, I was even more astonished that so far no one, as far as I know, had come to the same solution. I can only have one explanation for both surprises: memetics is not taken seriously, and even I was affected by this virus, even though I was sure that I had already survived this infection.

Virology

And here we are. Virology.

As much as in biological virology, one has to detect viruses, classify them according to their positive or negative effects on the body they inhabit, and, lastly, define antiviruses (vaccines) that attack harmful viruses and enhance beneficial viruses.

As in biology, so also in memology, the majority of viruses are neutral or even beneficial. We would not exist without them, literally. We would not exist as humans if memes did not occupy us. Memes power our minds. But we all know that some memes do not live in symbiosis with us, but harm us or even kill us.

Memes as harmful viruses

Memes that force one to commit suicide are extremely harmful.

And the answer to the most obvious question, why would it be in the meme’s interest to cause his host to commit suicide, is straightforward: Because memes easily find new hosts. Memes live their own lives and can survive regardless of the particular brains they occupy. The more brains each meme occupies, the less it is dependent on the existence of one specific brain.

Such a conclusion already leads us into the domain of epidemiology.

Epidemiology

The study of the spread of memes, and the activities necessary to either abridge or enhance such spread, applies to biological viruses as much as to memes as viruses of the mind. The power of memes lies in fidelity, fecundity, and longevity. It is the epidemiology of memes that pertains to the last of the three pillars, fecundity.

My proposal for applying memetics in practical reality is thus quite simple. There are already psychiatry and psychoptherapy that focus on individuals who have mental health issues. Digitalizing such practices with memetics would take them to another level, much as the discovery of genes upgraded medicine. And, as much as we now know that genetics, as a kind of digitalization of biology, does not solve all questions, memetics alone would not work for psychiatry. We, as humans, are analogue and digital at the same time, as explained three chapters ago. But, to avoid memetics in the craft would be, and is, as damaging as forgetting genetics in medicine.

But then, epidemiology is crucial, for it is the spread of negative memes that makes them harmful. Many social entities face this problem, but cannot, so far, name it or address it using epidemiology.

Take, for instance, corporations that often face the damaging threat of rumor, which can seriously weaken their strength. Proper actions against such infections would not only benefit organizations but also individuals who are attacked by memes spread by rumors.

Sanitizing memes?

Before ending this post, let me stress again that, in the same way as biological viruses are necessary for our lives, so are memes. That is why I emphasize the qualification “proper” when discussing planned or undertaken activities. To thoroughly sanitize rumors would be comparable to sanitizing all biological viruses in our environment.

And that is why memology, in both functions, is crucial. One has to understand memes in the context of the particular memetic entity (a human, a corporation, etc.), and one has to understand life and the prerequisites for life and social life when dealing with the epidemiology of memes.