A neologism (/niːˈɒlədʒɪzəm/; from Greek νέο- néo-, “new” and λόγος lógos, “speech, utterance”) is the name for a newly coined term, word, or phrase that may be in the process of entering common use but that has not yet been accepted into mainstream language. Neologisms are often directly attributable to a specific person, publication, period, or event. ~Wikipedia
A meme (/ˈmiːm/ meem) is “an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture.” A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols, or practices that can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena with a mimicked theme. Supporters of the concept regard memes as cultural analogues to genes in that they self-replicate, mutate, and respond to selective pressures.
The word meme is a shortening (modeled on gene) of mimeme (from Ancient Greek μίμημα Greek pronunciation: [míːmɛːma] mīmēma, “imitated thing”, from μιμεῖσθαιmimeisthai, “to imitate”, from μῖμος mimos “mime”) and it was coined by the British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene (1976) as a concept for discussion of evolutionary principles in explaining the spread of ideas and cultural phenomena. Examples of memes given in the book included melodies,catch-phrases, fashion, and the technology of building arches. ~wikipedia
Silverman may have gone a bit further in his rhetoric than he intended. In a thundering call for “zero tolerance” for anyone who disagrees with or insults atheism, Silverman proclaimed, “Stand your ground!”
WHERE DO POLLOCK JOKES COME FROM?
When word spread in America of the very quick defeat of Poland by German and Russian forces (just over a month), Pollack jokes came about making fun of the Polish people.
And in that defeat an advance on a German tank battalion charged on by a polish Calvary division on horses.The polish Calvary was decimated and what was an act of true bravery was tossed aside as an act of stupidity horses vs tanks.Even though this is disputed as a myth it is still the spin put on to the polish army by the ease of the victory with Poland perhaps.
The phrase “dumb Polack” generated after WWII. When Hitler’s army invaded Poland, the Nazi soldiers were ordered to hunt down and kill any person of intelligence in the country. This included: authors, painters, teachers, and any other person with a high level of education. With all the intelligent people of Poland murdered, the phrase came to be because the “dumb” citizens were left to pass on their genes to future generations. Sad but true.
Noam Chomsky asked about what he thinks about Richard Dawkins term.
Notice that Chomsky says, “with organization” and yet some Atheists insist that Atheism is not an organization. ..