Biologist Dr. Richard Dawkins is credited with coining the term “meme” in his 1976 book, The Selfish Gene. The word is derived from the Greek word mimema, which means “to imitate.” Dr. Dawkins chose this word because it sounds similar to the word gene. He created it to describe how genes reproduce by passing information from one organism to another. In the book, Dawkins goes on to explain how memes evolve over time, noting that the memes that are most replicated determine the information that is passed on.
It’s a substantial jump from cellular biology to social media, but our modern conceptions of memes revolve around what we see and share on the internet. In their earliest iterations, memes online were little more than frames of digital comic strips or digital renderings of stitch work you might find framed on your grandmothers wall. Memes were used to pass information along, but the intent was simple entertainment or quick inspiration, not communicating essential information or foundational truth.
Memes used to be about cracking wise; now they are seen as a source of wisdom. Memes used to be about inspiring warm fuzzies in hearts; now they are seen as methods to change minds.
Memes have evolved over the years, both in the messages we attempt to communicate through them and the level of trust we place in them. Memes used to be about cracking wise; now they are seen as a source of wisdom. Memes used to be about inspiring warm fuzzies in hearts; now they are seen as methods to change minds. News that used to fill columns in papers and broadcasts on nightly television shows is now condensed into quick quips along with an accompanying images. Truths that were once explained through deep, expository sermons on Sunday mornings and in Bible studies on Wednesday nights are now reduced to pretty pictures and short quotes from Scripture or public icons. In both cases, the information communicated is often woefully incomplete and dangerously out of context. Many of our memes are, at best, cherry picked half-truths, which without proper explanation evolve into untruths.
In 2 Timothy 2:15-17, the apostle Paul provides some timely words of wisdom for this current dilemma. He writes, “Do your best (Study in some translations) to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene.” We all know how easy it is to get caught up in the currents of culture and carried away by popular opinion (Consider how fast cries of “Hosanna” evolved into “Crucify Him!”).
We need to do our best to avoid the godless chatter that flows so freely in our world and do our best to discern and distribute information responsibly and with integrity.
Many of us have seen memes that confirm our biases or capture our feelings in the moment and felt the urge to immediately and indiscriminately share it with our followers and friends. We do so with the best of intentions, believing we are propagating the truth and protecting society from the evil in the world. Too often, however, we unwittingly pass along untrue and incomplete information that does as much harm as good. We need to heed Paul’s warning. We need to do our best to avoid the godless chatter that flows so freely in our world and do our best to discern and distribute information responsibly and with integrity.
We have more information available to us now than at any other time in human history. As the old saying goes, “Knowledge is power.” We need to handle that power with great care and consideration. While the information (including, but not limited to the memes) that crosses our screens may seem compelling, we need to learn to discern whether or not it is true and helpful. Misinformation is a disease, gangrene as Paul called it. May we work to stop its spread by refusing to share what we haven’t taken the time to fully understand. Let us commit to share the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help us God.
