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Memetic Engineering, Memgineering

memetic engineering
Image from Steve Bowers

The practical application of memetics in order to influence behaviour, especially on a mass-scale.

Developed into a fine art by superbrights and hyperturings as early as the later Information Age and used consistently since. Propaganda and Advertising are crude form of memetic engineering. Some philosophers have observed that memetic engineering raise serious questions in free societies.

Memgineering is rather like advertising and spin-doctoring. First the memgineer learns as much as e can about the target population, and then develop various versions of the meme (likely testing them in simulations and focus groups). Then it is spread it, through advertising, music, network postings, subliminals, memebots, alifes, neogens, new religions, artificial fads, or other means. Real memetic subversion is done by launching many synergetic memes.

Glossary

Memgineer: Meme engineer, Memegeneer. One who consciously devises memes, through meme-splicing and memetic synthesis, with the intent of altering the behavior of others. Writers of manifestos and of commercials are typical memetic engineers.
 
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Development Notes
Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Initially published on 08 December 2001.

 
 
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