The "Beme" Phenomenon Grows

My articulation of a "beme" has set off quite a flurry of debate around the world.  I have received lots of mail, pro and con, not to mention a few death threats.  Of course, the debate, in and of itself, defends the idea of a beme worming its way through the blogosphere, and by tracking its path, we get further evidence that bemes really do exist. 

As I have stated, Richard Dawkins' definition of "meme" clearly was right for the TV era; the Internet requires something more, if only subtly so.  Of course, the late Marshall McLuhan would have loved this.  He knew that every medium required a new culture around it.  From the wellspring of bemes, Wikipedia, this idea from McLuhan:

Each new form of media, according to the analysis of McLuhan, shapes messages differently thereby requiring new filters to be engaged in the experience of viewing and listening to those messages.

The Internet, propelled by the power of the Network Effect, demands a new culture and therefore a new genus of cultural artifact: the beme.

More definition:

• Memes are linear, Bemes are nonlinear.
• Memes move in a jet stream, Bemes have a splatter pattern.
• Memes are viral, Bemes are pandemic.

These are my humble observations.  Please share your thoughts. 

My articulation of a "beme" has set off quite a flurry of debate around the world.  I have received lots of mail, pro and con, not to mention a few death threats.  Of course, the debate, in and of itself, defends the idea of a beme worming its way through the blogosphere, and by tracking its path, we get further evidence that bemes really do exist. 

As I have stated, Richard Dawkins' definition of "meme" clearly was right for the TV era; the Internet requires something more, if only subtly so.  Of course, the late Marshall McLuhan would have loved this.  He knew that every medium required a new culture around it.  From the wellspring of bemes, Wikipedia, this idea from McLuhan:

Each new form of media, according to the analysis of McLuhan, shapes messages differently thereby requiring new filters to be engaged in the experience of viewing and listening to those messages.

The Internet, propelled by the power of the Network Effect, demands a new culture and therefore a new genus of cultural artifact: the beme.

More definition:

• Memes are linear, Bemes are nonlinear.
• Memes move in a jet stream, Bemes have a splatter pattern.
• Memes are viral, Bemes are pandemic.

These are my humble observations.  Please share your thoughts. 

Comments

[Giovanni Rodriguez]

Beware the beming of life. :) http://hubbub.typepad.com/blog/2007/02/office_talk_the_1.html

[Glenn (Customer Service Experience) Ross]

I didn't know what a beme was, but on Feb 12 I started something that might be one. I created a list of 12 topics a jewelry store could blog on. I asked other bloggers to select different professions and so far I've had six others chime in.

Whether or not I created one, I agree with you that there are differences between what happens in the blogosphere and what happends in traditional media.

Regards,

Glenn