Relatively few people know the origin of the meme concept-although it is quite interesting. The term was coined by author and biologist Richard Dawkins and is a mashup of genetics and the Greek word for mimicry.
Dawkins contended that cultural ideas spread like genes (or viruses) and that they are passed along from person to person and are subject to the forces of natural selection and evolution just like a living organism.
A field of study known as memetics has arisen that studies these patterns of thought transmission within a cultural group.
For an idea to survive it has to replicate or it eventually becomes extinct. However this survival is not dependent on whether the meme is accurate or beneficial.
Quite often the opposite is true.
While funny and uplifting messages do sometimes pass the survival of the fittest test-just as often negative and patently false ideas get successfully perpetuated-any election year provides an abundance of examples.
On a person level, there is an excellent chance you have bought into one or more of these memes or mind viruses. Do any of these sound familiar?
"I'll never be able to stop smoking because nicotine is as addictive as heroin or cocaine."
"No one ever succeeds at weight loss."
"The rich get rich and the poor get poorer."
Something every professional hypnotist learns via training and experience is that a person's belief system shapes their experience for good or ill. A false belief might as well be true if someone believes in it strongly enough.
Hypnosis and self-hypnosis can help you clear out your negative memes and replace them with more empowering ones.
If you have any questions, please feel free to connect. A free, confidential phone consultation is available, call (732) 714-7040.
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