What are Memes? A "meme" is an idea which can be passed from person to person, the basic unit of cultural transmission. Memes are often analogized to genes, as self replicating information patterns; or to viruses, organic or computer, which prosper by infecting new hosts (in this case human minds) with copies of themselves. The term was invented by Richard Dawkins in his book The Selfish Gene. What are some examples of memes ? Things like Rollerblading, Forrest Gump, the WWWeb, skinny half-decaf double lattes at Starbucks, flat tax...20th century things like the New York Yankees, World Wars, Gers