Society & Culture / Culture & Ideas / Cultural Criticism & Analysis
Why the 'Meme' Model Fails: The Hidden Structure of Cultural Evolution
Beyond the Meme: Development and Structure in Cultural Evolution
For decades, we've been told culture evolves like genes—through memes. But what if that model is fundamentally flawed? This video breaks down the groundbreaking book 'Beyond the Meme: Development and Structure in Cultural Evolution' by Alan C. Love and William C. Wimsatt. Drawing from evolutionary biology, sociology, and history, we reveal how cultural change is driven not by simple replication, but by a complex web of development, scaffolding, and generative entrenchment. Discover why changing a standard like inch-based screws is nearly impossible, how ancient Balinese water temples solved coordination problems better than modern algorithms, and why understanding these hidden structures is key to tackling today's 'wicked systems'—from climate change to global pandemics. If you've ever wondered why some ideas stick while others vanish, this is the video for you.
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