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Virus of the Mind: The New Science of the Meme — Occult Philosophy

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Virus of the Mind: The New Science of the Meme

Name: Virus of the Mind: The New Science of the Meme
Price: 22.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781401924690

✍️ Brodie, Richard

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Richard Brodie’s groundbreaking work introduces the compelling field of memetics, presenting it as the unseen genetic code of human culture. Expanding on the foundational ideas of scientists like Richard Dawkins, Brodie delves into how these units of cultural information—memes—spread, evolve, and profoundly impact our lives. He provocatively argues that the societal influence of memetics could be as monumental as that of atomic physics, affecting individuals and institutions through pervasive "mind viruses" that shape our collective reality in often insidious ways.

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Occult Philosophy

Praise for this book

“The true earmark of genius is taking a complex concept and making it simple (for people like me) to understand and, far more importantly, utilize. If the meme truly is fundamental to behavior (child imitates child, child imitates adult, world leader imitates world leader . . . ), then all of us need to spread memes with much greater intention--and care!”

— Kevin Hogan, Psy.D.

“This isn't a book--it's a mental adventure. Virus of the Mind stimulates, educates, and awakens you to what really happens to the things you see and hear. Buy it and study it.”

— Jeffrey Gitomer

“Brodie is infectious, indeed, but hisvirus breeds truth. Those who ingest this book are at great risk of seeing how things really are.”

— Douglas Rushkoff

🏛 Hay House 📅 2011 📖 256 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781401924690

Fun Fact

This book provides an accessible, thought-provoking introduction to memetics, skillfully illustrating how ideas propagate through society and influence our lives. While its popular science approach may not satisfy readers seeking rigorous academic depth or extensive empirical data, it remains a foundational, albeit controversial, text for anyone exploring the origins and impact of cultural trends and 'mind viruses' in the contemporary world. It's an essential read for understanding cultural evolution.

📝 Description: Virus of the Mind: The New Science of the Meme

Virus of the Mind is the first popular book devoted to the science of memetics, a controversial new field that transcends psychology, biology, anthropology, and cognitive science. Memetics is the science of memes, the invisible but very real DNA of human society. In Virus of the Mind, Richard Brodie carefully builds on the work of scientists Richard Dawkins, Douglas Hofstadter, Daniel Dennett, and others who have become fascinated with memes and their potential impact on our lives. But Richard goes beyond science and dives into the meat of the issue: is the emergence of this new science going to have an impact on our lives like the emergence of atomic physics did in the Cold War? He would say the impact will be at least as great. While atomic bombs affect everybody's life, viruses of the mind touch lives in a more personal and more pernicious way. Mind viruses have already infected governments, educational systems, and inner cities, leading to some of the most pervasive and troublesome problems of society today: youth gangs, the welfare cycle, the deterioration of the public schools, and ever-growing government bureaucracy. Viruses of the mind are not a future worry: they are here with us now and are evolving to become better and better at their job of infecting us. The recent explosion of mass media and the information superhighway has made the earth a prime breeding ground for viruses of the mind. Will there be a mental plague? Will only some of us survive with our free will intact? Richard Brodie weaves together science, ethics, and current events as he raises these and other very disturbing questions about memes.

📑 What's inside

Introduction: Crisis of the Mind
Chapter 1. Memes
Chapter 2. Mind and Behavior
Chapter 3. Viruses
Chapter 4. Evolution
Chapter 5. The Evolution of Memes
Chapter 6. Sex: The Root of All Evolution
Chapter 7. Survival and Fear
Chapter 8. How We Get Programmed
Chapter 9. Cultural Viruses
Chapter 10. The Memetics of Religion
Chapter 11. Designer Viruses (How to Start a Cult)
Chapter 12. Disinfection
Recommended Reading
Acknowledgments
Index
About the Author

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Brodie offers a provocative framework that challenges readers to examine the subconscious drivers of their lives. While the concept of memetics as a cultural genetic code is intellectually stimulating, those seeking hard empirical data may find the application overly speculative. It does not suit readers who prefer strictly academic sociological texts devoid of metaphysical implications. However, for those open to integrating scientific concepts with esoteric insights, it provides a compelling narrative on how ideas propagate like viruses. The book’s strength lies in its ability to make abstract cultural evolution tangible and urgent, urging active participation in shaping our collective future rather than passive acceptance.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

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Why this book is worth reading

Readers fascinated by the invisible architecture of human behavior will find this book transformative. It empowers those seeking to understand how cultural narratives and 'mind viruses' subtly dictate our beliefs and actions. By revealing the genetic code of culture, it offers tools to recognize and potentially reprogram limiting societal patterns. Ideal for thinkers who want to bridge scientific rigor with spiritual awareness, it provides a lens to view history and personal development through the powerful mechanism of memes. Those interested in the mechanics of influence, whether political or psychological, will gain profound insights into how reality is constructed and maintained by these pervasive informational units.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5

★★★★★

If you are fascinated by the hidden dynamics of human behavior, the spread of ideas, and the unseen forces that shape our social structures, this book offers a compelling new framework for understanding the world around you.

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Brodie offers a provocative framework that challenges readers to examine the subconscious drivers of their lives. While the concept of memetics as a cultural genetic code is intellectually stimulating, those seeking hard empirical data may find the application overly speculative. It does not suit readers who prefer strictly academic sociological texts devoid of metaphysical implications. However, for those open to integrating scientific concepts with esoteric insights, it provides a compelling narrative on how ideas propagate like viruses. The book’s strength lies in its ability to make abstract cultural evolution tangible and urgent, urging active participation in shaping our collective future rather than passive acceptance.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Unlike modern internet jokes, a meme here refers to a fundamental unit of cultural information—an idea, belief, behavior, or style—that can be transmitted from one mind to another, evolving as it spreads.

While grounded in theoretical concepts, Brodie's work moves beyond abstraction to explore concrete societal examples, demonstrating how 'mind viruses' manifest in real-world institutions and problems, offering a framework for understanding their practical implications.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

The Science of Memes

This book unveils memetics as the study of cultural information units, or 'memes,' exploring how they replicate and evolve across minds. Brodie synthesizes insights from psychology, biology, and cognitive science, building upon the pioneering ideas of thinkers like Richard Dawkins to establish a new lens for understanding human culture and its inherent dynamics.

Societal Mind Viruses

Brodie argues that certain pervasive ideas act as 'mind viruses,' infecting and altering the fabric of our institutions. From educational systems to government bureaucracies, these invisible contagions are implicated in widespread societal problems, highlighting their profound, often detrimental, impact on collective well-being and social structures in a pervasive manner.

Profound Cultural Impact

The author posits that the emergence of memetics holds transformative power, potentially rivaling the advent of atomic physics in its societal impact. He suggests these subtle, insidious cultural infections profoundly touch individual lives and collective systems, revealing the immense power of ideas to shape both personal realities and the broader trajectory of civilization.

📜 Historical context

Building on Richard Dawkins's seminal concept of the meme from 'The Selfish Gene,' Brodie popularizes memetics as a distinct field. This work, alongside contributions from thinkers like Daniel Dennett, represents an early and influential attempt to bridge evolutionary biology with cultural studies, offering a scientific lens for analyzing the transmission of ideas in the late 20th century.

📚 Glossary

Memetics
Meme
Mind Virus

📔 Questions to reflect on

Identify a 'mind virus' currently influencing your community or personal life, and reflect on its origins and effects.
How might understanding memetics change your approach to information consumption, social interaction, or even personal belief systems?
What responsibility do individuals have in the spread or containment of detrimental memes within our increasingly interconnected world?