Final Boss Form

Dan Dennett on dangerous memes (2002)

Dan Dennett talks about the idea of memes as being the one thing separating humans from other life in that we’re the only species who have subjugated our genetic interests to other interests. Of course, animals that get infected by parasites are the exception. Presented soon after the events of September 2001, he goes on to relate the spread of memes to the role of disease in Jared Diamond’s book ‘Guns, Germs, and Steel’. Presented as such, fanatical Islam’s fear of the West has to do with their lack of immunity to the spread of our ideas — the spread of our memes. A great watch.

via knowyourmeme: TED.com