Coined by biologist and (in)famous atheist Richard Dawkins, a meme refers to a basic unit of a social organization (aka idea, belief), much as a gene is a basic unit of a biological organism. Memes replicate and mutate, much as genes do, and collectively form the meme complex of a culture.
Much of the kyriarchy is spread and supported by memes: the belief that women’s bodies are inferior and insufficient; that persons of color are less worthy or less intelligent than white people; that men are incapable or ill-suited to nurturing or housework; that feminists are men-hating, baby-killing, ugly hairy angry women who seek to subjugate men and steal women’s razors and high heels.
One way feminists oppose the kyriarchy is by highlighting and refuting and attempting to replace its ill-conceived memes; this is part of why we are often considered humorless.
Arwyn
In my bathroom hangs a plaque with a picture of a yin yang and the word BALANCE. I can never get it to hang straight. This probably says something deep and meaningful about my life.
[...] signals from the brain to release, as in swallowing as well as urinating or defecating. The meme that infants cannot be pottied because they do not have control over the necessary muscles is [...]
[...] Well ain’t that just fucking cheery. Thanks ever so much for the pathologization folks; there can never be enough support for the “those crazies = horrible miserable burden on society!!1!” meme. [...]