The same coinage: evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene (1976) built meme from Greek mimema (“that which is imitated”) and shortened it to rhyme with gene, stressing memes as cultural analogues of genes.

What they become

Religions, ideologies, social hierarchies, and shared fictions like money or nation‑states work this way. Once they take root, they guide behavior, attract followers, punish dissent, and defend against criticism.

Old hardware

At a basic level, memes connect to ancient brain circuits like the amygdala and basal ganglia. They trigger fear, belonging, reward, novelty, or identity so defending or sharing them feels meaningful or urgent.