Why Some Things Are Popular - JT Velikovsky 2014 PDF

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`WHY SOME THINGS ARE POPULAR, or : The Meme - The Unit of Culture.
First Edition (PDF). By Velikovsky, J.T., CPT, Sydney, 2014 (2014-December-20th).
[Evolution; Culture; Evolutionary Epistemology; Applied Evolutionary Epistemology;

Memetics, Cultural Evolution.]
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means
without permission in writing from the publisher, except for academic Fair Use, or the
inclusion of brief quotations in a review. The right of translation is reserved.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My sincere Thanks to: Distinguished Professors Brian Boyd, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Dean
Keith Simonton; Professors R. Keith Sawyer, Joseph Carroll, Jonathan Gottschall, Daniel C.
Dennett and Susan Blackmore; Dr Martin Farncombe; and all those in The Newcastle School
of Creativity1 - including Associate Professor Phillip McIntyre, Dr Michael Meany, Dr Susan
Kerrigan, Dr Elizabeth Paton and Dr Janet Fulton not least for your doctoral dissertations,
and for all the helpful discussions.
1
For details on The Newcastle School of Creativity, see: (Fulton & McIntyre 2013).
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FOREWORD
For any new idea, scientific discovery or invention, it is interesting to find out when and
where the creator, discoverer, or inventor originally got `the idea.
In this particular case, the idea originally came from: The Big Bang.
(1) For one thing, everything in the universe originally came from the Big Bang.
(2) Secondly, there is a recent scientific theory that: new universes are created when
two old universes collide.2
For both, new ideas, and for new universes - this would be a case of `bisociation3 or
`combinatorial creativity4.
It is one contention of this book that all new ideas come simply from combinations of two old
ideas. And that evolution works by combining two òld things to produce a `new thing. When
that new thing solves more problems, it is judged `creative (or, better adapted to its
environment).
This book also aims to be consilient.
For those who may not have heard of `consilience before, in Professor E O Wilsons (1998)
vision of it, it is a combination of Science, Social Science, and the Arts.
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Figure 1 Consilience - a synthesis of the Sciences, Social Sciences and the Arts
2
See: (Kaku 2013): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6XAkVA7RmY
3
See (Koestler 1967) for the concept of `bisociation, and specifically (Koestler [1967] 1989, p. 181-9).
4
See: (Boden 2004, pp. 3-10) for more on `combinatorial creativity, noting the correlation with (Koestler 1967)
on `bisociation.
3
For a more detailed understanding of consilience,6 the following thoroughly-excellent books

are all recommended:
Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge (Wilson 1998)
Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention (Csikszentmihalyi,

Mihaly 1996)7
Literature, Science, and a New Humanities (Gottschall 2008)
Evolution, Literature and Film: A Reader (Boyd, Carroll & Gottschall 2010)
Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation (Sawyer 2012)
The Act of Creation (Koestler 1964)
Creating Consilience: Integrating the Sciences and the Humanities (Slingerland &
Collard 2012)
5
Diagram: (Velikovsky 2013).
6
See also: `Consilience and Creativity http://storyality.wordpress.com/2013/08/23/storyality-71-consilience-is-
coming-read-all-about-it/
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(in which, Edward O. Wilson is also interviewed as part of the study of 91 eminent creatives).
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................... 1
Foreword ................................................................................................................................................ 2
Contents ................................................................................................................................................. 4
List Of Figures...................................................................................................................................... 6
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 7
PART 1 - THEORY ............................................................................................................................ 8
Why Are Some Things Popular? ........................................................................................................ 9
What is Culture?................................................................................................................................. 11
What is Biology? ................................................................................................................................ 13
What are holons, and, holon-partons? ............................................................................................ 15
Holarchies - and `The 3 Laws of holarchies................................................................................... 16
A holarchy in Biology ....................................................................................................................... 17
Why Does Evolution Happen? ......................................................................................................... 19
The Meme - the Unit of Culture ....................................................................................................... 21
Biology, Bioculture, and Culture ..................................................................................................... 24
So, Why Are Some Things More Popular? ..................................................................................... 26
The Creativity Continuum ................................................................................................................. 33
PART 2 - ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS MEMES IN CULTURE, AS HOLON-PARTONS .... 35
Why Is This Important? (Does It Even Matter?) .......................................................................... 36
Jokes (as memes and holon-partons) ............................................................................................ 37
Poems (as memes and holon-partons) .......................................................................................... 38
Plays (as memes and holon-partons) ............................................................................................ 39
Novels (as memes and holon-partons) .......................................................................................... 40
Paintings (as memes and holon-partons) ..................................................................................... 41
Photographs (as memes and holon-partons)................................................................................ 42
Movies (as memes and holon-partons).......................................................................................... 43

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Television series (as memes and holon-partons) ......................................................................... 44
Videogames (as memes and holon-partons) ................................................................................. 45
Transmedia (as memes and holon-partons) ................................................................................. 46
Music (as memes and holon-partons) ........................................................................................... 47
Languages (as memes and holon-partons) ................................................................................... 48
Religions (as memes and holon-partons) ..................................................................................... 49
Science (as memes and holon-partons) ......................................................................................... 50
Evolution and Creativity: Selection, Variation, Transmission-with-heredity ........................... 51
Why Does Cultural Evolution Happen? ......................................................................................... 53
A holarchy of Novels .......................................................................................................................... 54
The holon-parton structure of the meme, the unit of culture ....................................................... 60
Analysis of a Painting as a meme, a unit of culture, a holon-parton: The Mona Lisa ............. 61
Conclusion and Recapitulation......................................................................................................... 64
References ............................................................................................................................................ 66
Afterword ............................................................................................................................................ 73
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 Consilience - a synthesis of the Sciences, Social Sciences and the Arts ................... 2
Figure 2 - Overlaps in scientific disciplines (Velikovsky 2014) ................................................... 14
Figure 3 - The holon-parton (Velikovsky 2013, 2014) ................................................................... 15
Figure 4 - A holarchy-partarchy in Biology................................................................................... 17
Figure 5 - Genes (inside: organisms) and Environment - as self-coupled systems..................... 20
Figure 6 - Memes: Ideas, Processes, Products. ............................................................................... 23
Figure 7 - Poppers `Four Worlds (1978, 1999) viewed as (1) Biology, (2) Bioculture, (3)
Culture: Science (4) Culture: The Arts. ............................................................................................ 24
Figure 8 - The Systems Model of Creativity (Velikovsky 2014, after Csikszentmihalyi 2014) . 26
Figure 9 -Categories of Canon (or: creativity) (Velikovsky 2014)) ............................................... 27
Figure 10 - Memes (including: cultural artifacts) and Environment - as self-coupled systems
.............................................................................................................................................................. 32
Figure 11 - The Four-C model of Creativity.................................................................................... 33
Figure 12 - A joke - as a meme a unit of culture - and as a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014) ...... 37
Figure 13 - A poem - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014) ......... 38
Figure 14 - A play - as a meme - a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014) ........... 39
Figure 15 - A novel - as a meme - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014) ......................................... 40
Figure 16 - A painting - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014) ... 41
Figure 17 - A photograph - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014)
.............................................................................................................................................................. 42
Figure 18 - A movie - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014) ...... 43
Figure 19 - A television series - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky
2014) ..................................................................................................................................................... 44
Figure 20 - A videogame - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014) 45
Figure 21 - A Transmedia Story Universe - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy
(Velikovsky 2014) ............................................................................................................................... 46
Figure 22 - Music (A Song) - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky
2014) ..................................................................................................................................................... 47
Figure 23 - A Language - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014) 48
Figure 24 - Religion - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014) ....... 49
Figure 25 - Science - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014) ......... 50
Figure 26 Novels, as holon-partons in a holarchy (including: two levels àbove Novels). ..... 54
Figure 27 - The holon-parton - the structure of the meme, the unit of culture (Velikovsky
2014) ..................................................................................................................................................... 60
Figure 28 - Da Vinci's `Mona Lisa (c. 1517)................................................................................... 61
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INTRODUCTION
As the title would suggest, this short book aims to explain: Why some things are popular, and
others are not.
In this book (or, ùnit of culture), a new scientific theory is advanced, one which aims to
identify:
1. What culture is,
2. What `the unit of culture is,
3. Why some units of culture go viral (or, become `popular, or `famous) - and why
others do not.
A summary of the argument is as follows:
(1) Culture is: knowledge (including The Sciences, The Arts, Languages, Music,
Mathematics, and even Religions), and is composed of `memes, or ùnits of culture.8
(2) Ùnits of culture are things like: a book (where each book is one unit of culture).
Other units of culture (or, memes) include, for example: movies, television series,
songs, jokes, words, and languages. However these units are holon-partons,9 and are
composed of units that are a part and a whole at once.
(3) Units of culture (or, memes) become popular because: they solve the problems of
survival and reproduction in their environment, better than units of culture that do
not.
In short: the phenomena of the popularity of units of culture (or, memes) is both described
and explained by Evolution - in Biology, in Culture, and in Bioculture.10
The details are expanded in the remainder of this book (or ùnit of culture, or, meme).
8
See: Dawkins ([1976] 2006, p. 196) where the meme is defined as à unit of cultural transmission.
9
See: (Koestler 1967, 1978) and the later sections herein, on `holon-partons.
10
And - for those of a more academic persuasion - the theory advanced herein is a synthesis of: Systems Theory
(Laszlo 1972), Meme Theory (Dawkins 1976), Holon Theory (Koestler 1964, 1967, 1979), Parton Theory
(Feynman 1972, 2005), and also - the Systems Model of Creativity (Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly 1988, 1996, 2014)
(Sawyer 2012) (Simonton 2004) (Simonton 2010) (Simonton 2011), and also what I herein contend is the
conceptual equivalent of the Systems Model of Creativity, namely Evolutionary Epistemology (Popper 1972,
1999), (Campbell 1974), (Simonton 2010), including Poppers `Three Worlds theory (Popper 1978, 1999) and
concepts derived from and inspired by (Boyd 2009), (Carroll 1995), (Gottschall 2012), (Carroll et al. 2012),
(Pinker 2009) and (Wilson, Edward O. 1998).
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PART 1 - THEORY
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WHY ARE SOME THINGS POPULAR?
At the risk of stating the obvious, some `things in culture are popular, or, more famous.
These `things include, popular: novels, movies, videogames, paintings, photographs, non-
fiction books, poems, plays, religious texts, jokes, words, and so on.
We can note some random examples of these:
Some examples of best-selling novels include: the Harry Potter series, the Lord of the Rings
series, The Da Vinci Code, A Tale of Two Cities, and Lolita.
Hit movies include: the Star Wars, Matrix, James Bond, Twilight, and Avatar movies.
Popular songs include: Hey Jude, Satisfaction, Apologise and Like A Rolling Stone.
Popular videogames include: the Call of Duty series, Pokmon, Tetris, and the Grand Theft
Auto series.
Popular paintings include: The Mona Lisa, The Kiss, Guernica, The Birth of Venus, The
Last Supper, and those dogs playing poker.
Popular photographs include: Afghan Girl, the Loch Ness Monster, Burning Monk,
Tainanmen Square, and Albert Einstein poking out his tongue.
Some famous non-fiction books include: Darwins On The Origin of Species, Marxs Das
Kapital, Platos The Republic, Aristotles The Poetics, Freuds On The Interpretation of
Dreams, and Kuhns The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.
Some famous religious texts include The King James Bible, The Koran, The Torah, and The
Bhagavad Gita.
Some famous poems include: The Raven, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, The Rime
of the Ancient Mariner, and The Charge of the Light Brigade.
Some famous plays include: Hamlet, Death of a Salesman, A Streetcar Named Desire and
Waiting For Godot.
Some popular jokes include: The one about how an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman
walk into a bar, various `blonde jokes, and the one about Sherlock Holmes and Watson.
The question can be asked: Why those, and not others?

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Why are some things in culture popular, and others, not?
As of 2014, Google has digitized around 30 million of the books that currently exist, and
according to Google estimates in 2010, there were around 130 million (different) books in the
world.11
But, thinking about all those books: Why arent they all popular?
And for that matter, what is `culture?
The following section looks at the problem (or, question) of: What Is Culture?
11
See: http://mashable.com/2010/08/05/number-of-books-in-the-world/
11
WHAT IS CULTURE?
Defining `culture has been a `hard problem for many thousands of years.
In 1952, Kroeber and Kluckhohn also famously published over 160 different definitions of
`culture12 and the number of extant definitions has doubled during the past sixty years.
Currently (in 2015), there are at least over 300 different definitions of `culture,13 and no
consensus among people, or disciplines, about what `culture is.
In other words, the domains of anthropology, sociology, psychology, archaeology, linguistics,

literature, history, media, and even `cultural studies all have different ideas on what `culture
is, precisely - and many individual people within those disciplines also have very different
ideas on the definition of `culture.
In 2007, in the admirable Muses and Measures (2007), Van Peer et al (rightly) concluded Às
far as can be seen, there is no consensus on the notion of culture anywhere to be found. 14
This all means there is currently a problem:
What is culture?
However, perhaps if the unit of culture could be identified, then it might be easier to find
answers to the questions:
`What is culture?
`How do we define culture?
`Where is culture?
`How can we accurately measure, and track culture?
and
How does cultural evolution work?
Interestingly, a similar problem was faced in Genetics and Biological Evolution, until
Mendel in 1866,15 and was partly resolved when Watson and Crick identified the structure of
12
See: (Kroeber & Kluckhohn 1952)
13
For over 300 different definitions of `culture, see: (Baldwin 2006).
14
See: (Peer, Hakemulder & Zyngier 2007, p. 30)
12
the DNA molecule (one of the more important ùnits, in biology), in 1953, also winning the
Nobel Prize for their achievement.16
We will soon arrive at `the unit of culture, but first, let us look at ùnits in: Biology.
15
See: (Mendel 1866).
16
See: (Watson & Crick 1953).
13
WHAT IS BIOLOGY?
Biology is: the study of living things.17
As Laszlo (1972) notes, some of the units in biology are:
(1) the organic molecule (for example DNA, and RNA)
(2) the cell
(3) the tissue
(4) the organ
(5) the organ system (there are around 10 major organ systems in a human body)18
(6) the individual organism (e.g. a plant, an animal, a person)
(7) The Ecosphere
(8) The Biosphere
Also, interestingly, each of these units behave, interact, function, and are structured
according to the laws of holons (Koestler 1964, 1967, 1979).
In turn, holons behave, interact and function according to Systems Theory (Laszlo 1972),
(Miller 1978), (Capra & Luisi 2014).
In turn, Systems which are also holons - are governed by the laws of Physics.19
A diagram which represents this idea is below.
17
(Biological viruses are not, technically, alive.)
18
The many systems in the human body include (but are not limited to) the: skeletal, cardiovascular, nervous,
muscular, lymphatic, digestive, endocrine, respiratory and immune systems.
19
See also: (Wilson, Edward O. 1998, pp. 60, 291, 3).
14
Figure 2 - Overlaps in scientific disciplines (Velikovsky 2014)
In the diagram above, certain Laws of Physics apply to and underpin the domains to the
`right of Physics, namely, to: Chemistry, Biology, Psychology, Society, and Culture.20
However as each domain to the right of Physics in the diagram becomes more complex, and is
a new holon-parton, additional and different rules, or laws of behaviour also emerge, in
addition to certain rules of Physics.
However all these domains appear to be governed by the 3 Laws of Holarchies.
The process of `Doing Science therefore involves both analysis (or, reduction), and then, also
synthesis (or, expansion).21
In this process, the analysed parts are thus re-assembled to enable understanding, and the
whole has emergent properties, or, is more than the sum of its parts.22
20
E O Wilson in Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge (1998) suggested that the laws of physics govern culture.
21
See also (Boyd 2009, pp. 1-2).
22
See also: (The Metaphysics, Book VIII, 6, Aristotle [c335 BCE] 1952, p. 569).
15
WHAT ARE HOLONS, AND, HOLON-PARTONS?
In the book The Ghost In The Machine (1967), Arthur Koestler describes a holon as
something that is a part and a whole at the same time.23
For example, the wheel of a car is a whole wheel, but, is also a part of the car.
A parton, a term from sub-atomic (or, quantum) physics - as coined by the 1965 Nobel Prize-
winning physicist, Richard P. Feynman,24 is simply a different word for the same concept as
Koestlers holon.
I suggest that a more inclusive (and, consilient) word for this concept, is: the `holon-parton.
This term is purposely-designed to remind us of the `dual nature - Koestler (1967, 1978) calls
it `Janus-faced - of these things. Thus, the portmanteau term `holon-parton constantly
reminds us they are a part, and also a whole, at the same time.25
A diagram of a holon-parton is as below.
Figure 3 - The holon-parton (Velikovsky 2013, 2014)
23
See; (Koestler 1967, p. 48).
24
See: Richard P. Feynman (1975 [2005], p. 278).
25
See also: Velikovsky (2014) À Hierarchy of Memes in Practical Memetics (Ed: M. Farncombe)
(http://www.practicalmemetics.com/index.php/memetics-101/202-mem-101-holons.html?showall=1&limitstart=)
and see also: The holon-parton structure of the Meme, the unit of culture (or, Narreme):
http://storyality.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/storyality-100-the-holonic-structure-of-the-meme-the-unit-of-culture/
16
HOLARCHIES - AND `THE 3 LAWS OF HOLARCHIES
Arthur Koestler (1967) defines a holarchy as a hierarchy of self-regulating holons.26
Holarchies function according to the three laws of holarchies - which are also three laws of
biological evolution - namely:
(1) competition and/or co-operation (and/or, also co-opetition)27 `sideways - with other
holon-partons on the same level;
(2) integration upwards - into the (larger) holon-parton on the level àbove; and
(3) control and command of (smaller) holon-partons - on the level `below.28
This becomes clear when we look at the following holarchy-partarchy, in Biology.
26
See: (Koestler [1967] 1989, p. 103).
27
`Co-opetition occurs when holons intentionally combine or collaborate in order to better compete with other
holons, such as in marriage (in the domain of social holons), or, in business, when companies form strategic
partnerships.
28
See: (Koestler 1964, 1967, 1978).
17
A HOLARCHY IN BIOLOGY
If for example, atoms, molecules, cells, organs, and organisms are all holon-partons, we can
easily see how, as holon-partons, they each:
(1) compete &/or co-operate `sideways, and
(2) integrate ùpwards, and
(3) control and command `downwards - as indicated in the diagram below.
Figure 4 - A holarchy-partarchy in Biology.
This is to say that: organisms compete and/or co-operate with each other - not least, with the
aims of survival and reproduction - in Biological Evolution.
18
So too, cells (for example) compete and co-operate. And so on, both upwards and downwards
through each level of the holarchy.
As another example is that: each atom (inside a person) is a whole atom, but is also part of: a
molecule.
Each organism (for example, a person) is a whole person, but is part of the larger group
(where, a group is social holon-parton).29
29
It is important to note: not all hierarchies are holarchies.
19
WHY DOES EVOLUTION HAPPEN?
Biological Evolution (or, change over time - where holon-partons become better adapted to
their environment) occurs, whenever there is:
(1) An Environment - which contains:
(2) A set of Reproducing Organisms where, there is
(3) Selection (of any type, caused by the Environment), and
(4) Differential Reproduction among those organisms, and
(5) The inheritance of characteristics and/or traits (from their `parent organisms), by
the newly-created organisms.30
At each level of the Biological holarchy-partarchy, selection pressure applies, due to (a)
competition for finite resources in that environment, and, also (b) deleterious, injurious, or
fatal conditions for individual holon-partons.
The different types of selection at each level (or, in each ènvironment) may include: natural,
artificial, unconscious, and, sexual.31
The local (and/or, global) ènvironment for each holon-parton can include: any and all other
holon-partons on the same level, and also, any - and all - holon-partons above it in the
holarchy.
Thus, the ènvironment for a molecule includes: all other molecules within its local
environment (with which, it can `compete, and/or `co-operate),32 and also, to lesser degrees,
everything else in the `global holarchy-partarchy, that is above that level of the holarchy.
It is important to note that the `rules of behaviour also change, at each level of the holarchy.
The `rules of behaviour for an atom are certainly not the same `rules for an organ, and
likewise, the `rules for an organism are different to those of its component organs.
30
See also: (Dennett 1995)
31
See, for example: (Darwin 1859), (Darwin 1871), (Huxley 1942) and (Mayr 2001).
32
This is not to imply that molecules (nor atoms) have consciousness, or, are aware, nor self-aware. Yet atoms
sharing one or more electron can be seen to be `co-operating, a case of co-opetition regarding other atoms or
molecules. The three laws of holarchies do not require that holons be àware of their actions.
20
Selection (of various and multiple kinds) can (and, does) occur, at each level of a holarchy-
partarchy.33
The Evolutionary Algorithm (variation, selection, transmission) occurs as in the diagram

below. When sexual selection occurs, there is: (sexual) selection, then variation (when genes
combine, or due to copying errors or mutations), and transmission.
Figure 5 - Genes (inside: organisms) and Environment - as self-coupled systems
For more detail on how Systems Theory explains Evolution, see (Laszlo 1972, Chapter 5).
33
For more on the question of units, levels, and types of selection in Applied Evolutionary Epistemology, see:
(Gontier 2012).
21
THE MEME - THE UNIT OF CULTURE
Having briefly reviewed the ùnits in Biology, we now turn to the ùnits in: Culture.
Since the publication of Richard Dawkins landmark work, The Selfish Gene (1976), the
meme, or `the unit of culture has been proposed (namely, assuming that ùnits of culture
exist) however to date, the unit of culture (aka, the `meme) has not been identified.34
In Genes, Mind and Culture (Wilson, Edward O & Lumsden 1981) and also in Promethean
Fire: Reflections on the Origin of Mind (Lumsden & Wilson 1983) E O Wilson and Charles
Lumsden also aimed to identify the same entity as Dawkins `meme, namely the unit of
culture, proposing instead the word `culturgen, defined as `the basic unit of inheritance in
cultural evolution (Wilson & Lumsden [1981] 2005, p. lxvi).
Wilson and Lumsden (1981) also noted this same unit correlates with many prior proposals
for the meme, the unit of culture:
`The unit is the equivalent of the artifact type employed in archaeology (Clarke,
1978), and it is similar in variable degree to the mnemotype of Blum (1963), idea
of Huxley (1962) and Cavalli-Sforza (1971), idene of H. A. Murray (in Hoagland,
1964), sociogene of Swanson (1973), instruction of Cloak (1975), culture type of
Boyd and Richerson (1976), meme of Dawkins (1976a), and concept of Hill
(1978). (Wilson & Lumsden [1981] 2005, p. 7 italic emphasis mine).
In the domain of Narratology (or, the study of Story), the `narreme or `the unit of narrative
(i.e., ùnit of story) was also proposed in (Barthes 1966), however as Baikadi & Cardona-
Rivera (2012) note, it was not satisfactorily defined then by Barthes in 1966, nor has it been
since.35
34
See, for example, The Journal of Memetics (1997-2005) (http://cfpm.org/jom-emit/all.html). In 2005 Distin
published the thoroughly-admirable The Selfish Meme: A Critical Reassessment (Distin 2005), reviewing
Dawkins (1976-1995) on memes, also Dennett (1990-1999), Blackmore (1999-2000), Boyd and Richerson (1985),
Sperber (1986-2000), Cavalli-Sforza & Feldman (1981), Heylighen (1998) and many other prior eminent authors
on memes, but notably, omits (Csikszentmihalyi 1988-2000), and also DT Campbell on Evolutionary
Epistemology (1974). Distin (2005) concludes that the particulate ùnit of culture (the meme) has not yet
successfully been identified (Distin 2005, pp. 197-207). It is noted also that Tyler has assembled an extensive
online `Bibliography of Memetics References at: http://memetics.timtyler.org/references/
35
See: `Towards finding the fundamental unit of narrative: A Proposal for the Narreme (Baikadi & Cardona-
Rivera 2012) in Proceedings of the 2012 Workshop on Computational Models of Narrative (Ed: M. Finlayson
2012, p. 44).
22
This new theory36 contends that memes - as ùnits of culture - are also `narremes or ùnits of
story (i.e. units of narrative).
Stories are a part of culture, and are indeed transmitted; therefore, Stories are units of culture
(or, memes) - and their structure as holon-partons is also proposed herein.
While it appears obvious that books (both fiction, and non-fiction), movies, documentaries,
songs, jokes, words, ideas (and so on) do exist in culture, to date it has been a `hard problem to
identify how each of these ùnits is structured, and, how they function in Biology,
Bio=Culture and Culture.
However, one possible answer emerges via Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge (Wilson
1998), which suggests that the laws of Physics also apply to Culture.37 Notably Edward O
Wilson was also one of the 91 eminent creatives interviewed in Creativity: Flow and the
Psychology of Discovery and Invention (Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly 1996).
Distinguished Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is one of the world experts on the scientific
study of creativity, and notes that `memes (or, units of culture) are what is `selected by people,
in his Systems Model of Creativity (Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly 1988, 1996, 2014).38
Csikszentmihalyi (1996) identifies memes (or ùnits of culture) as: ideas, or processes, or
products.
This is a useful way to describe memes, as, there is nothing in culture that isnt: an idea, or a
process, or a product.
36
This theory is also known as StoryAlity Theory (Velikovsky 2012, 2013, 2014). This proposal for the structure
of the `meme or ùnit of culture applies not just to ideas, processes, products but additionally, to stories (or,
narratives). Thus stories are composed of memes, or units of culture, and these are also, the units of narrative.
37
For more on `laws in culture, see: (Van Peer 1997).
38
And also in (Csikszentmihalyi and Massimini 1985).
23
Figure 6 - Memes: Ideas, Processes, Products. 39

Examples of products (or, cultural artifacts) include: movies, novels, songs, plays, poems,
jokes, words, languages, scientific theories, mathematical formulae and musical works. Also,
clearly inventions like Coca-Cola, the iPod, computers, the contraceptive pill, and even
national flags are also memes, or ùnits of culture.40
Examples of processes (i.e. memes) include: the process of making a movie, or of making Coca-
Cola, of making a car, the pasteurization of milk, the process of having a conversation with
someone, the process of praying, and, the process of learning to read and write.
Examples of ideas include: È = mc2, the Fibonacci sequence, the idea of Coca-Cola, the idea
of God, and idea of any process, or product (see the above examples of `cultural artifacts, or
memes).41
39
Diagram: (Velikovsky 2014).
40
In Greatest Inventions of the Past 2,000 Years (Brockman 2000), Csikszentmihalyi suggests the flag might be
one of the greatest inventions; meme theorist Professor Sue Blackmore (author of The Meme Machine
(Blackmore 1999)) suggests, the contraceptive pill; Professor Jared Diamond (author of Guns, Germs and Steel
(Diamond 1997)) suggests The Scientific Method, and I tend to agree: http://edge.org/documents/Invention.html
41
For a slightly more detailed explanation of `The Meme as a Holon-Parton, see: Velikovsky (2013, 2014):
http://storyality.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/storyality-100-the-holonic-structure-of-the-meme-the-unit-of-culture/
and also Velikovsky (2014): http://www.practicalmemetics.com/index.php/memetics-101/202-mem-101-
24
BIOLOGY, BIOCULTURE, AND CULTURE

A distinction needs to be made between: (1) Biology; (2) Bioculture; and (3) Culture.
In a famous 1978 lecture, Sir Karl Popper presented his idea of `Three Worlds.42 This concept
includes three categories, namely the realms of: (1) physical objects; (2) the mind; and (3)
ideas, or products of the human mind (such as, ideas in Science, and The Arts).
These three categories or `worlds also describe: (1) The Physical World; (2) Bioculture; and
(3) Culture. In fact, later (Popper 1999) Popper divided `World 3 (ideas, products of the
mind, or culture) into two further worlds, so there are Four Worlds in total (where World
`3A = Science, and World `3B or `World 4 = The Arts).
Figure 7 - Poppers `Four Worlds (1978, 1999) viewed as (1) Biology, (2) Bioculture, (3)
Culture: Science (4) Culture: The Arts.
holons.html?showall=1&limitstart= . See also: (Velikovsky 2014):

http://storyality.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/storyality-122-ie2014-international-interactive-entertainment-
conference/
42
See: (Popper 1978)
25
Memes, (or ideas, processes, products) can extend across all these Four `Worlds.
This means that someone can have a scientific idea, and, can make a piece of art (a cultural
artifact) using that idea, and in this process (of thinking about, and creating it) it enters
`World Two (i.e., their mind) and finally when the (scientifically-inspired) artwork is finally
out there in the world of physical objects, it is then in: `World One.
One example might be Flann OBriens satirical novel The Third Policeman (O'Brien 1967),
which blends ideas in science and the arts.43
Another similar idea would be the science-fiction movie Avatar (2009) written and directed
by James Cameron. Or likewise, the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey written by Stanley Kubrick
and Arthur C Clarke, and directed by Stanley Kubrick.
43
and which was partly inspired and influenced by the writing of the author James Joyce.
26
SO, WHY ARE SOME THINGS MORE POPULAR?
In biology, living things (i.e., organisms - such as grass, trees, sharks, ants, snakes, bears,
eagles, dogs, or people) become more populous, if they more successfully solve the problems of
survival and reproduction in their local environment. For example, currently, there are
around 7 billion people on Earth.44
Csikszentmihalyis Systems Model of Creativity (1988-2014) uses an Evolutionary `natural

selection model to explain how some memes (i.e., ideas, processes, products or, ùnits of
culture) become more populous. In the Systems Model of Creativity (1988-2014), people
(called the Field) are all creating new memes (ideas, processes, products), constantly. But -
the rest of the Field (i.e., the potential audience, for that meme) `selects which of those memes
become canon. The memes that are not selected, (or, which are ignored) do not become canon.
A diagram illustrating this concept - as derived from Csikszentmihalyis Systems Model of

Creativity (1988-2014) - is as follows.
Figure 8 - The Systems Model of Creativity (Velikovsky 2014, after Csikszentmihalyi 2014)
44
See: http://www.census.gov/popclock/
27
In the evolutionary Systems Model above, people first absorb memes from the Domain.45
If the meme (idea, or process, or product) that a Person contributes to the Domain is judged
`creative by the Field, it then becomes canon. On the other hand, works (memes) that are not
judged creative by a significant consensus in the Field are `non-canonical works (or, memes,
or units of culture) in the Domain. The non-canonical works are those that are: not very good.
And of course - the `creative works are felt by a consensus to be: good.
So too, if the work (or, meme, or unit of culture) itself is judged creative, then the person (or
persons) who is primarily credited with that work (the creator, or writer, or artist, or
scientist, or musician, and so on) is also retrospectively judged as `creative.46
Categories of `canon in a Domain of culture may also be subdivided, into: (1) popular works,
(2) critically-acclaimed works, (3) award-winning works, (4) classic works, (5) cult works,
and (6) avant-garde works and, some of these categories also overlap.
Figure 9 -Categories of Canon (or: creativity) (Velikovsky 2014))
45
It is worth noting that the process of àbsorbing memes or, what Csikszentmihalyi calls ìnternalizing the
domain (see: Csikszentmihalyi (1996, p.47 on Internalizing the System) can take on average around ten years,
before a Person (artist, or scientist) then contributes a work judged `creative by the Field. This is known as the
ten-year rule in creativity, from Hayes (1989), see: (Gorny 2007b).
46
It should be noted that Group Creativity is often important in creativity. See: (Paulus & Nijstad 2003), and
(Sawyer 2003).
28
As Csikszentmihalyi (1988-2014) notes, there are many Domains in Culture. These include
the Domains of: Movies, Novels, Music, Maths, The Arts, Literature, Science, Eeligion,
Language, Clothing Fashion, Cars, Soft drinks - and so on.
So, when more individuals in the Field (or, among the potential mass audience) selects (or
chooses) more of certain memes (ideas, processes, products), they obviously become: popular.
This means, those `popular (and thus, populous) memes have effectively solved the `problems
of `survival and `reproduction, in culture. When people tell others about the exciting new
meme, it is reproduced - at least, at first in the mind of the person who now hears about it.
So, memes (or, units of culture) can survive, and replicate (or, spread, or even go `viral) in
culture.
This idea may sound strange at first as surely a car, or a soft drink, or a new novel, or even
a new mathematical or scientific formula - or theory - is not really àlive-?
Of course, cultural artifacts are not alive; they are certainly not biological entities. Nor do
memes (or, units of culture) contain the equivalent of DNA (as in Biology), within each of
their `cells (or component parts, or holon-partons), like living organisms do. Memes are not
fractal in that way, in that, living organisms have tiny ìnstructions for building the whole
organism inside each of their cells.
But - memes (ideas, processes, products or, units of culture) do solve problems for people.
The question must be asked:
What problem (or, problems) is, or are, being solved by this particular meme?
In the book Creativity: Understanding Innovation in Problem Solving, Science, Invention,

and the Arts (Weisberg 2006), Professor Robert Weisberg makes a very convincing case in
suggesting that: all creativity is problem-solving (Weisberg 2006, pp. 577-81).
Darwin mostly-solved the problem of: Evolution. Einstein solved the problem of: Relativity.
Henry Ford solved the problem of: making affordable, mass-produced cars. The Gutenberg
printing press solved the problem of: making copies of written text more cheaply and
efficiently. The internet solves the problems of: globally connecting people and information
29
more cheaply and efficiently than alternate methods. (Although of course, each new meme -
that solves a problem - also in turn, creates more, new problems) 47
Sir Karl Popper, in All Life is Problem Solving (Popper 1999) also demonstrates that science
is problem-solving.
So, memes (ideas, processes, products) solve problems for people.
A scientific theory is a meme (an idea, a process, a product). If the scientific theory solves
more (and, more important) problems, then it becomes more popular.
For example, the theory of evolution (Darwin 1859, Mayr 2001) solves the problem of how life
emerged, and also how species (like, say humans) are created.48 Interestingly, apparently all
life on Earth (plants and animals, including even us `humanimals) evolved from the same
single cell.49
Some other problems are below.
A satisfying movie solves the problem of: how to be entertained, for around two hours.
A satisfying novel solves the problem of how to be entertained50 for around a day (depending
on how long the novel is, and also on how fast you read it).
A satisfying joke solves the problem of needing an ìce-breaker in a tense social situation.
A satisfying Coke can solve the problem of thirst, and also provides a caffeine hit. (If you like
that sort of thing.)
One of the major ideas of this book is that the Anna Karenina principle (Diamond 1997)
applies, to why some memes are more popular. In Chapter 9 of the excellent Guns, Germs and
Steel (Diamond 1997), Professor Diamond notes that, to attain certain goals - such as a
successful marriage, or even domesticating wild animals (notably, those two goals have more
in common than some may realize) - not only must `success be attained in several component-
areas, but `failure in those same areas must also be avoided. As Diamond notes, the famous
47
Csikszentmihalyi (1996, pp. 318-9) notes this as Robert Orsteins concept of the axe-makers gift.
48
As a human, you share around 50% of your DNA with a banana, and around 94% with a chimpanzee. See:
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/evolution/what-is-the-evidence/morphology/dna-molecules/
49
See: (Capra & Luisi 2014).
50
Or, perhaps: intellectually, psychologically, emotionally and aesthetically engaged. Not all novels (or movies,
plays, poems, or games) can be accurately described as èntertaining; some are harrowing, but may still be
satisfying. Then again what satisfies one person may not satisfy another, and thats also why some things are
more popular, since Human Nature (see: Wilson 1998) is a normal-curve distribution.
30
opening lines of Tolstoys Anna Karenina (Tolstoy 1877) are that: `Happy families are all
alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
So too, I suggest:
Great [movies] are all alike; every bad [movie] is bad in its own way.
In the above, we may also swap out [novels], [plays], [poems], [jokes], [paintings] and in fact,
cultural artifacts, or memes.
So, for example - a great movie must not only have, a great: premise, characters, plot,
structure, theme/s, tone, dialog, `voice, visuals and sound; but also, if any of these aspects are
judged to be `bad by the Field (the Audience), then the movie may not become popular (or, a
`viral meme, in culture).
In fact, we might even say:
Great [memes] are all alike; every bad [meme] is bad in its own way.
But at the same time, as the Nobel Prize-winner Neils Bohr noted, the opposite of a profound
truth is also true.51
So - it may also be that:
Bad [memes] are all alike; every good [meme] is good in its own way.
I therefore suggest that the key to memes (units of culture) becoming popular, is: How well
they solve problems, in their environment.52 And the Anna Karenina principle also applies.
If a meme (a unit of culture) solves the creative problem of attracting a wide audiences
attention, then it also solves the problems of `survival and reproduction in culture.
There is of course not one single, simple, answer to How to attract attention for any given
meme: each memes environment is unique, within a Cultural Domain.
However of course, Poppers `Three Worlds Theory (Popper 1978, 1999) notes three spheres:
51
See: (Mackay 2001, p. 35). I thank my colleague and friend Distinguished Professor Brian Boyd for noting
this inversion of Neils Bohrs observation, in our discussions at:
http://storyality.wordpress.com/2014/07/15/storyality-119b-modernist-times-symposium-november-2014/
52
The `problem-situation model for creatives (including artists, writers, and scientists) has been applied to
culture in Distinguished Professor Brian Boyds excellent On The Origin Of Stories: Evolution, Cognition, and
Fiction (Boyd 2009). See also: (Burnett 2008), (Csikszentmihalyi, M & Getzels 1976) and Boyds chapter on
Spiegelmans The Narrative Corpse in (Boyd, Carroll & Gottschall 2010).
31
(1) the physical world (or, products);
(2) the mental world (or, psychological processes, as in: creativity) and
(3) the world of `theory or mental constructs - in Science and The Arts (or: ideas.)
Thus these three categories (or Three `Worlds) also can be seen to correlate with
Csikszentmihalyis (1988-2014) categories of memes (i.e., ideas, processes, products).
The printing press, computers and the internet are thus all examples of products (or, memes)
that effectively solve problems of disseminating information (or, other memes.) These three
inventions of course came about, via: the process of creativity.53
Thus, with regards human creativity, The Evolutionary Algorithm can be seen to be: selection
of memes, variation (including, combination of memes in the mind of a creator), and
transmission-with-heredity (of the new, resultant memes which are then transmitted by an
individual, or a group).
Once the new meme enters the Ènvironment of The Field (or, Audience), Variation has
already occurred (when the two old memes were combined to create a new one) and then the
Field (or audience) selects which new memes are better adapted to the Environment (or which
memes `solve problems better).
Those memes that are better adapted are again transmitted further in the Field, and those
memes that are not, are `de-selected (or, are ignored en masse, by consensus, in The Field).54
53
See also: http://storyality.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/what-is-creativity-and-how-does-it-work/
54
For more on the evolutionary algorithm, of `variation, selection and transmission in Biology, Bio-Culture and
Culture, see: ` On The Psychological Selection Of Bio-Cultural Information (Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly &
Massimini 1985), and also (Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly & Wolfe 2000).
32
Figure 10 - Memes (including: cultural artifacts) and Environment - as self-coupled systems
In this way, the Systems Model of Creativity (Csikszentmihalyi 1988-2014) can be seen to
correlate with Evolutionary Epistemology (Campbell 1974, Popper 1999).
Both models use an evolutionary `natural selection process, to explain how memes (or units of
culture or ideas, processes, products including scientific theories and knowledge) evolve
(or: survive, replicate, and become better-adapted to their ever-changing environment), over
time.
33
THE CREATIVITY CONTINUUM
As Gorny (2007) notes, the standard definition of creativity is something (e.g. a meme) that is
`new and useful, or, `novel and appropriate (Gorny 2007a).55
Kaufman and Beghetto (2009, 2013) also propose `the four-c model of creativity, namely:
mini-c (or everyday creativity), little-c, professional-c and `big-c Creativity.
Figure 11 - The Four-C model of Creativity

(Velikovsky 2014, after: Kaufman & Beghetto 2009, 2013).
In this `four-c view, creativity is a continuum - ranging from èveryday creativity, through
`little-c, `pro-c and `big-C Creativity (Kaufman & Beghetto 2009, 2013).
So, a very popular movie, novel, or song would be `big-c Creative, as would a popular and
accepted scientific theory (for example, Darwins Theory of Evolution, and the Modern
Synthesis, and also, the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis), or, Einsteins theories of Special
55
See: http://creativity.netslova.ru/Definitions_of_creativity.html and see also (Runco & Jaeger 2012) on `The
Standard Definition of Creativity. As McIntyre (2012) rightly notes, `Creativity is not what most people think it
is. (McIntyre 2012, p. 3).
34
and General Relativity, the plays of Shakespeare, or many of the novels of J K Rowling,
James Joyce, Stephen King, and Virginia Woolf.56
So, creativity is a natural side-effect of Evolution, in both Biology, and in Culture.
If there are a population of new entities constantly being created (whether they are organisms
- or - memes) then, due to variation, some of them will be better-adapted to their environment
than are others and, this can happen more often by random chance, rather than by
conscious design, or planning.57
This is also why it is difficult to accurately predict `the next big hit in novels, movies, songs,
and so on. This is also why, 98% of movie screenplays presented to producers are rejected
(Macdonald 2004) and, why 70% of movies lose money (Vogel 2011).58
In short, the Systems Model of Creativity (Csikszentmihalyi 1988-2014) and Evolutionary

Epistemology (Campbell 1974) (Popper 1979), Koestler (1964, 1967, 1978) all describe an
evolutionary systems view of creativity or, the popularity of memes (namely: ideas,
processes, products) in culture.
I suggest that `the unit of culture in each case, is: the holon-parton.
56
Also, Freuds theory of Psychoanalysis would qualify as `big-C Creative, although it has since been found by
scientific research to be: mostly wrong. A meme does not have to be true to go viral in culture; it merely has to
solve problems, or, appear to solve problems.
57
This is the BVSR theory of creativity, or, Evolutionary Epistemology. See: (Campbell 1974), and see also
(Simonton 1999, 2010, 2012).
58
See also: http://storyality.wordpress.com/2014/07/01/storyality-115-the-less-than-one-percent-problem-in-the-
domain-of-movies/
35
PART 2 - ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS MEMES IN CULTURE, AS

HOLON-PARTONS
The following sections examine the universal structure of various of these

memes (or units of culture), namely: Jokes, Poems, Plays, Novels, Paintings,
Movies, Television, Videogames, Transmedia, Music, Languages, Religions, and
Science.
It should also be noted that the Three Laws of Holarchies (from Koestler 1964,
1967, 1978) apply to each holon-parton, in each case.59
These are also Three Laws of Evolution - whether in Biology, or in Culture.
These three Laws of Evolution - and of Holarchies - also appear to be Three

Laws of Physics.
This would suggest that they are: Laws of Systems.60
59
See also: http://storyality.wordpress.com/2013/12/23/storyality-108-memetics-and-an-ecopoetics-of-beauty-and-
meaning-turner/ and see also (Funch 1995): http://www.worldtrans.org/essay/holarchies.html
60
See: (Laszlo 1972) for more on Systems Theory.
36
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? (DOES IT EVEN MATTER?)
Does anyone care, whether we know what the structure (and function) of the
meme - the unit of culture (or: ideas, processes, products) - is?
The implications might not yet be apparent, but by comparison, once we better
understood Biological Evolution (`starting with Darwin in 1859), and since
discovering the structure of DNA (Watson & Crick 1953), we have since been
able to direct (and, to shape): Biology.
Thus, if we can understand why some memes (ideas, processes, products or,
units of culture, and also thus narremes, or ùnits of story) are more popular, we
may also be able to direct Culture, ideally so as to benefit Humanity, and
possibly enabling us to better (and more quickly) solve such `wicked problems
such as: war, poverty, inequality, and global warming.61
61
For more, see: (Csikszentmihalyi 1996).
37
JOKES (AS MEMES AND HOLON-PARTONS)
A (verbal) joke can be examined as a holon-parton (and, a holarchy) at the levels of:
(1) Joke; (2) Setup/Feed/Punchline; (3) Words, (4) Ideas.
At each of these levels, these holon-partons adhere to the 3 laws of holarchies, which are 3
laws of evolution, and also 3 laws of physics.
Namely, holon-partons: (1) compete and co=operate `sideways with holon-partons on the same
level; (2) integrate ùpwards into the larger holon-parton (of which, they are a part), and (3)
command and control holon-partons on the level `below.
Figure 12 - A joke - as a meme a unit of culture - and as a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014)
For a more detailed analysis of humour as `bisociation, see The Act of Creation (Koestler
1964).
38
POEMS (AS MEMES AND HOLON-PARTONS)
A poem can be examined as a holon-parton (and a holarchy) at the levels of:
(1) Poem; (2) Stanzas; (3) Phrases, (4) Words; (5) Letters; (6) Ideas.
Figure 13 - A poem - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014)

39
PLAYS (AS MEMES AND HOLON-PARTONS)
A play can be examined as a holon-parton (and a holarchy) at the levels of:
(1) Play; (2) Acts; (3) Scenes, (4) Dramatic `beats, (5) Action, and Dialog lines, and (6) Ideas.
Figure 14 - A play - as a meme - a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014)

40
NOVELS (AS MEMES AND HOLON-PARTONS)
A novel can be examined as a holon-parton (and a holarchy) at the levels of:
(1) Novel, (2) Chapters, (3) Paragraphs, (4) Sentences, (5) Words, (6) Letters, (7) Ideas.
Figure 15 - A novel - as a meme - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014)

41
PAINTINGS (AS MEMES AND HOLON-PARTONS)
A painting can be examined as a holon-parton (and a holarchy) at the levels of:
(1) Painting, (2) Objects (figures and background), (3) Light / Shapes / Colors, (4) Ideas.
Figure 16 - A painting - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014)
See also, the later analysis of a painting (the Mona Lisa) as a meme, and a holon-parton, in
this volume.
42
PHOTOGRAPHS (AS MEMES AND HOLON-PARTONS)
A photograph can be examined as a holon-parton (and a holarchy) at the levels of:
(1) Photograph, (2) Objects (figures and background), (3) Shapes / Light / Colors, (4) Ideas.
Figure 17 - A photograph - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014)

43
MOVIES (AS MEMES AND HOLON-PARTONS)
A movie can be examined as a holon-parton (and a holarchy) at the levels of:
(1) Movie, (2) Acts, (3) Sequences (of Scenes), (4) Scenes, (5) Shots, (6) Dramatic `beats (7)
Action and Dialog Lines, and (8) Ideas.
Figure 18 - A movie - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014)

44
TELEVISION SERIES (AS MEMES AND HOLON-PARTONS)
A television series can be examined as a holon-parton (and a holarchy) at the levels of:
(1) Television series, (2) Episodes, (3) Acts, (4) Sequences (of Scenes), (5) Scenes, (6) Shots,
(7) Dramatic `beats (8) Action and Dialog Lines, and (9) Ideas.
Figure 19 - A television series - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky

2014)
45
VIDEOGAMES (AS MEMES AND HOLON-PARTONS)
A videogame can be examined as a holon-parton (and a holarchy) at the levels of:
(1) Videogame, (2) Game Levels, (3) Environments, (4) `Buildings, (5) `Rooms, (6)
Puzzles/Hazards, (7) Game Events, and (8) Ideas.
Figure 20 - A videogame - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014)

46
TRANSMEDIA (AS MEMES AND HOLON-PARTONS)
A Transmedia Story Universe can be examined as a holon-parton (and a holarchy) at the

levels of:
(1) Transmedia Story Universe, (2) Novel, Movie, Videogame, Website, and, (3) [see the other
Media for those memes / units of culture / holarchies].
Figure 21 - A Transmedia Story Universe - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy

(Velikovsky 2014)
47
MUSIC (AS MEMES AND HOLON-PARTONS)
A popular song can be examined as a holon-parton (and a holarchy) at the levels of:
(1) Song, (2) Verse, Chorus, Bridge, and: (3a) Music (4a) Notes (5a) Ideas; (3b) Lyrics/Words
(4b) Letters (5b) Ideas.
Figure 22 - Music (A Song) - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky

2014)
48
LANGUAGES (AS MEMES AND HOLON-PARTONS)
A language can be examined as a holon-parton (and a holarchy) at the levels of:
(1) Language, (2) Phrases, (3) Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives (etc), and (4) Ideas.
Figure 23 - A Language - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014)

49
RELIGIONS (AS MEMES AND HOLON-PARTONS)
Religion can be examined as a holon-parton (and a holarchy) at the levels of:
(1) Religion, (2) Faiths, (3) Deities, (4) Messiahs, (5) Leaders, (6) Believers, (7) Scriptures,
and (8) Ideas (or: Interpretations of Facts).
Figure 24 - Religion - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014)

50
SCIENCE (AS MEMES AND HOLON-PARTONS)
Science can be examined as a holon-parton (and a holarchy) at the levels of:
(1) Science, (2) Paradigms, (3) Meta-theories, (4) Theories, (5) Phenomena, (6) Laws, (7)
Facts, and (8) Ideas.
Figure 25 - Science - as a meme a unit of culture - and a holarchy (Velikovsky 2014)

51
EVOLUTION AND CREATIVITY: SELECTION, VARIATION,

TRANSMISSION-WITH-HEREDITY
We are all constantly immersed in culture: movies, television, novels, plays, poems, paintings,
photographs, videogames, languages, jokes, science - and even, religious ideas.
Creativity - in Culture - occurs when a person selects an idea - or meme = (from the many that
are inside their mind - in their memory - or, stored in Poppers `World Two), and then
combines that idea with another idea (or meme) they have also selected.62
This new idea (holon-parton), as a combination of two old ideas, has certain ìnherited
characteristics (or: content) from the two old ideas (or, memes).
The Person then transmits their new idea into culture, and the Field judges whether or not
the new idea is `creative (or, `new and useful). If the new idea (meme) fails the test of either
criteria, (if it does not seem new, and also does, not seem useful) then the idea (meme) is
effectively: `falsified (in Poppers terms).
In Biology, when an organisms `theory (or, èxpectation, or `hypothesis, or `conjecture, or

`prediction) is falsified, it may be injured, and/or may even die.
In culture, the new-yet-falsified ìdeas do not `die, but in the same way that an organism who
dies before it can reproduce does not then have its genes spread through the gene pool, when a
new meme (idea, process, product a unit of culture) is `falsified, it also does not spread in
numbers through the meme pool or, `culture.
However - those new ideas that do solve problems, and are therefore `new and useful (or, what
we call `creative), do spread through the meme pool (culture) and become popular, or, famous.
This explains why: some things are popular.
As memes, they solve problems, and have a greater `cost-benefit ratio than other competing
memes.
62
When a writer (say, a novelist) selects an idea - or a word, or a phrase, or a sentence, or a paragraph to
represent that idea - they are selecting, i.e., they choose one, over, other (competing) possibles. In their
imagination, they may then vary that meme (idea), by combining it with others, and then transmit it, into the
work (e.g. into their proposed novel). If the final work (a novel, a story, as a holon-parton) is selected by
publishers, it is then transmitted into the Field, which again selects some works (e.g. some novels, some stories)
over other `competing and co=operating works in the same (Bio-Cultural) Environment. In this way, memes
move from World 3 (ideas) to World 2 (the mind) finally to World 1 (say: a book on a shelf, in a library.)
52
Evolution in Biology thus functions the same way as in Culture, namely, `cost-benefit ratios
(or `design elegance) makes a difference in the virality of memes.
Some of the problems that these new memes (ideas, processes, products) may solve, can include
(but are not limited to):
(1) Making something easier to do;
(2) Making something cheaper to obtain;
(3) Making something more reliable;
(4) Making something `better in a general sense (e.g. more efficient);
And, also, importantly:
(5) Enabling the creator (e.g. scientist, artist, inventor) to attract more attention both
for themselves and for their new meme - and thus, both may become more famous.63
63
See also (Boyd 2009, 2010) for more on the artistic and creative `problem-situation, and `cost-benefit ratios, for
both artists and audiences. (Also it should be noted that `fame, in itself, is not necessarily always: a good thing.)
53
WHY DOES CULTURAL EVOLUTION HAPPEN?
This section is a paraphrasing of the earlier section on: `Why Does Evolution Happen?
Cultural Evolution (or, change over time in culture, where memes, as holon-partons - or units
of culture - become better adapted to their environment) occurs, whenever there is:
(1) An Environment (i.e., the `Bio-Cultural World) - which contains:
(2) A set of reproducing units of culture - where there is:
(3) Selection, and
(4) Differential Reproduction among those ùnits of culture, and
(5) The inheritance of certain traits (from `parent memes), by the newly-created
memes.64
At each level of the Memetic (or, Cultural) holarchy-partarchy, selection pressure applies, due
to (a) finite resources in that Environment, and also (b) fatal conditions for individual
memes, or units of culture, as holon-partons.
The different types of selection at each level (or, in each local Ènvironment) can include:
natural, artificial, unconscious, and, a cultural form of `sexual selection.
In the Cultural equivalent of `sexual selection, some ideas (memes) attract other ideas
(memes) more.65 In this case, when the new combination of old memes works, `hybrid vigour
can result, and the new meme can go viral in culture.
The Ènvironment for each memes (holon-parton) in Culture can include: any and all other
memes (holon-partons) on the same level, and, any and all memes (holon-partons) above it in
the holarchy. Thus, the Ènvironment for a novel includes: all other novels within its local
environment (with which, it can compete, and/or co-operate), and also, to lesser degrees,
everything else in the `global holarchy-partarchy, that is above that level.
In the case of novels (or, literature in general), this includes: literary genres. A diagram of
this holarchy is below:
64
See also: (Dennett 1995, pp. 342-5)
65
See also Sperbers excellent work on `cultural attractors, e.g.: http://edge.org/q2011/q11_10.html
54
A HOLARCHY OF NOVELS
If we extend the examination of the environment for novels, we can take Libraries as one
Environment where novels exist. Novels are selected (and many more are `de-selected) for
inclusion in public libraries (and of course, also, in peoples personal libraries).
A novel can be examined as a holon-parton (and a holarchy) at the levels of:
(1) Libraries, (2) Genres, (3) Canon, (4) Novels, (5) Chapters, (6) Paragraphs, (7) Sentences,
(8) Words, and (9) Ideas.
Figure 26 Novels, as holon-partons in a holarchy (including: two levels àbove Novels).

55
It is important to again note that the `rules of behaviour also change, at each level of the
holarchy. Namely, the `rules of behaviour for a novel are certainly not the same `rules for a
literary genre, and likewise, the `rules for a novel are different to those of its own chapters.
Selection (of various and multiple kinds) can (and does) occur, at each level of a memetic
holarchy-partarchy.66
Thus, there exists: the idea / concept / meme / holon-parton / holarchy of `literary canon.
Within/`below it, and containing/àbove that meme / holon-parton, are: other levels, other
holon-partons / memes.
The diagram above demonstrates one holarchy, that of: literary canon, with regard to novels.
Note that on each level of the holarchy, each holon-parton competes with other memes/holon-
partons of its type.
That is, novels compete with different novels for a readers attention (or: `mindspace), and
also for bookstore/library shelf-space: compare say the characters of `professional (fictional)
detective Sherlock Holmes, with Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, or Alex Cross, and/or even
àmateur detectives - such as Harry Potter, Lisbeth Salander and Robert Langdon.
Each holon-parton (each fictional character, in this case) also aims to integrate with the level
above and to command (or control) those memes/holons-partons on the level below it. Thus,
stories compete with other stories, novels with other novels, genres with other genres, and so
on.
The above example (i.e., diagram) is of course, not the only holarchy that we might examine
in literature (in human culture) but is just one way of organizing: literary canon;67; there are
many intersecting memes / memeplexes / matrices / holarchies, in Culture.
Let us conduct an examination of each level of this holarchy above, focussed (say) on one
book: a collection of twelve short stories, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Doyle 2009).
1. Libraries contain products/memes/cultural artefacts (e.g.: books, DVDs, magazines,
etc). Many libraries contain a copy of: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
2. Genres are groups of cultural artefacts (e.g.: novels, films, games, etc.) linked by
common ideas/memes (such as: detective fiction, and/or murder-mysteries). While
66
For more, see: (Gontier 2012)
67
See Koestler on matrices, in The Act of Creation (Koestler 1964)
56
novels and short story anthologies are not classified / arranged by Genre on the library
shelves (usually they are classified alphabetically, by the authors surname), Genre
itself is an idea (and a holon-parton, and a meme). `Media might be seen as species, in
biology, and `Genres as breeds. Over time, in Cultural Evolution, Genres can (and
often do) `split off and diversify downwards - and also can combine with other
Genres, and they also unify upwards in holarchies. All Genres taken as a group -
are a holon-parton of `literature, and are found in varying instances and populations,
in: Libraries.
3. Canon within Genre, there are novels (and short stories) regarded as canon or non-
canon (by the literary field: academics and critics, and/or the reading public).
Constantly - as Culture, and the taste/judgement of the literary field evolves, shifting
over time - some books move in and, out - of the canon.68
4. Novels within the canon (of say, detective fiction) are: novels (and, short story
collections, such as Sherlock Holmes). These novels are each holon-partons / memes.
They are simultaneously a whole book (or, novel), yet are also part of the canon; they
are also part of the Genre; and part of a Library. (A novel might also be part of a
movie-novel-videogame Transmedia story69.)
5. Chapters books contain chapters (and in fact The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
contains 12 short stories). Each book-chapter is a holon-parton (a whole chapter, and
also part of a novel / book).
6. Paragraphs chapters contain paragraphs, and each paragraph is a holon-parton. An
example of a famous (extremely-viral meme / holon-parton) paragraph is the opening
paragraph of A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens & Maxwell 2003):
68
For an excellent study of the cultural evolution of clues in mystery stories, and of the work of Conan Doyle
and Agatha Christie in the canon of detective fiction, see (Moretti 2000).
69
See: `Why Transmedia is Destiny: http://storyality.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/Storyality-64-Why-Transmedia-
is-Destiny/
57
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times70
7. Sentences paragraphs contain sentences, and each sentence is a holon-parton. A viral
meme (or, sentence, or phrase) from Sherlock Holmes canon is Elementary, my dear
Watson. Notably, this phrase never appears in this exact form in the written works of
Conan Doyle, but is the closing line of the 1929 film The Return of Sherlock Holmes.
8. Words sentences contain words, and each word is a holon. To state the obvious,
`Sherlock as a word (meme/holon-parton) is also part of the viral slang phrase No
sh*t, Sherlock! 71
9. Letters words contain letters (consider also: numbers), and each letter / number /
symbol is a holon-parton. (It is a whole letter, but is part of a word.)
10. Ideas All ideas are holon-partons. Abstracted from the (fictional) `Sherlock Holmes
idea, there are also the (fictional) ideas of: 221B Baker Street; the characters of
Watson and Moriarty; the idea of: a mystery; the idea of solving a mystery; the idea of
solving a mystery via finding clues; the idea of solving a mystery via finding clues and
deducing an approximation to the truth; etc. All of these `separate ideas are also:
memes, memeplexes, holon-partons, and holarchies.
Some might expect that category errors (as defined in (Ryle 1949)) may emerge, when looking
at different `levels of the holarchy. But the question is, which exact matrix / ùniverse of
discourse in Koestlers terms (i.e. - which holon-parton, and, which holarchy) exactly, we are
looking at? The term `memes-eye view is often used in literature on Memetics. Everything
depends what units (holon-partons) in a meme-holarchy we are examining: i.e. Libraries - or
Books(?) Once we choose a holon-parton category / a holarchy-level, we must aim to stay on
that same level, and thus compare all books (and also, all books on the `detective fiction
canon, etc) to decide on the exact population of memes (holon-partons) in that Domain or
Environment.
In terms of ideas, processes and products, we can also dissect `novels.
70
The spread (and, movement) of this particular meme (as a holon-parton) in Culture (compared with: other
famous chapters) might be empirically tracked, using techniques from the Digital Humanities (such as using
Google NGram Viewer: https://books.google.com/ngrams).
71
(A phrase that is commonly used when someone states the obvious.)
58
The idea of a novel is: the idea/concept of the physical book (product), The Adventures of
Sherlock Holmes: including the cover, and the pages of text. Also, we can categorize each book
copy into: which year, which publisher, which print-run, etc.
There is also the process of the novel (including the creative process of Conan Doyle
conceiving and writing and publishing it; also the process(es) of publishing it; and of
distributing it, and the process of a reader reading it).
Finally, there are the products: all the extant copies of the book The Adventures of Sherlock
Holmes.
The book, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a meme that is a physical manifestation, a
phenotype, a physical artefact (i.e.: a book in Poppers World 1). Thus we can measure (or at
least, estimate) how many of those books (memes/holon-partons) exist, at any given moment in
time.
The genotype is `the Sherlock Holmes idea itself, and can also occur in a phenotype of a film,
a videogame, a graphic novel, a fan fiction short story, etc. Memes (ideas, stories, characters,
themes all of which are memes/holons) replicate, across Media.
Prior to 1892, when the first Sherlock Holmes collection was first published, no physical
copies of it as a book existed (although, the short stories were published in The Strand
magazine in 1891 and 1892). After 1892, we can choose a year - and decide to examine how
many copies of the book were in existence, and also in circulation (waiting in the publishers
warehouses to be shipped to bookstores; sitting on shelves in libraries; on shelves in book
stores; in homes; including copies lost behind couch-cushions, etc). Some copies are destroyed
through wear-and-tear (or, although unlikely, perhaps even publicly burned by anti-`detective
fiction fundamentalists).
We can then estimate how many people actually read that Sherlock Holmes book in any given
year (noting also that, some people lend their copy to friends/family, as part of the spread of
the meme). Of those people who read it (in full, and understood it), the idea (meme / concept /
holon-parton / holarchy) of `Sherlock Holmes, including the ideas of: all the scenes,
characters, settings, dialog lines, the plot turns and twists, the tone, the style, the structure
(etc.) now resides in their mind. Over time, this memory fades, and as Koestler showed, a
specific memory (say, of a play one saw) becomes abstracted (Koestler 1964).
And yet - unless they have memory problems - most people never forget at least the idea of
`Sherlock Holmes, once they are exposed to it: namely the idea of a brilliant, deductive,
59
mystery-solving detective in a hunting cap who has a devoted and admiring friend called
Watson. Also, there are movies (adaptations) of the Sherlock Holmes stories and books, and
we can also track their box office and thus, estimate the audience-reach of these specific
Sherlock Holmes films (whether canon, or, satire / spoof / fan fiction / remix / etc), over time.
Measurement becomes less precise when we accept that word-of-mouth is: memetic
transmission. Anyone who read the book (and/or saw a Sherlock Holmes movie) and enjoyed
it (or even disliked it intensely, or found it boring or predictable), might well tell a friend
something about the story, regardless of their own reaction to it. In this way (social
transmission) the meme can spread. Unless someone has a photographic memory, and recites
the text of the book word-for-word, it is unlikely the exact copy of the meme (the holarchy of:
the concept/ story/ characters/settings/events/prose and dialog lines of Sherlock Holmes canon)
in their friends mind will be an exact replica of the text and ideas the book in question.
Yet if communication occurs (notably, via selection, variation and transmission-with-

heredity), the simple holon-parton/meme itself of `Sherlock Holmes certainly has been
transmitted, from mind (or, brain) to mind.
We can also check how much of the meme was transferred from person to person by asking:
Tell me everything you know about Sherlock Holmes. Some people may only know He was
a brilliant fictional detective, in stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, others may (mistakenly) say
He was a detective in mystery stories by Agatha Christie and others (say, avid and obsessive
Sherlock Holmes fans) may well know almost everything ever written, filmed, screened,
spoofed, or lampooned about Sherlock Holmes.
We could also conduct a survey to find how many people have ever heard of `Sherlock
Holmes, and which exact memes (ideas) in Sherlock Holmes canon they actually know.
(Including all other cultural references to the meme, such as say, from The Simpsons).
Perhaps the most interesting question is: Why is the idea of Sherlock Holmes such a viral
meme?72
I suggest that: since all life, all creativity, all science, and all evolution is problem-solving,
Sherlock Holmes as a `master detective (genius problem-solver) appeals to the universal
human interest in - and love for - problem-solving.
And, for more on how Systems Theory explains Evolution, see (Laszlo 1972, Chapter 5).
72
This is the same question (or, has the same answer) as: Why are there so many procedural cop shows on TV?
60
THE HOLON-PARTON STRUCTURE OF THE MEME, THE

UNIT OF CULTURE
The illustrative diagram below explains the structure of the meme, the unit of culture, as a
holon-parton, with written text.
Figure 27 - The holon-parton - the structure of the meme, the unit of culture (Velikovsky
2014)
61
ANALYSIS OF A PAINTING AS A MEME, A UNIT OF

CULTURE, A HOLON-PARTON: THE MONA LISA
We can analyze a famous painting as: a meme, a unit of culture, a holon-parton. Da Vincis
Mona Lisa (c. 1517) is a useful example. The painting is a whole painting, but is a part of the
domain of The Arts, in Culture (And `The Arts includes many sub-domains, including
painting, photography, sculpture, dance, music, movies, novels, poems, and so on).
Figure 28 - Da Vinci's `Mona Lisa (c. 1517)

62
The parts of the painting are `whole parts, but together make up: the whole painting.
Some of the parts include:
HOLON-PARTON EXAMPLE
The eyes
The nose
That famous `smile
The face
The hands
63
Lisa
The background
The Background is also composed of holon-partons: the sky, the trees, the water, and so on.
64
CONCLUSION AND RECAPITULATION
The aim of this short book has been to advance a new theory, one which aims to identify:
1. What culture is,
2. What `the unit of culture is,
3. Why some units of culture go viral (or become `popular, or `famous) - and why
others dont.
In biology, organisms have a form they tend to take, and as many other authors have noted, it
is for this reason that Grays Anatomy (Gray 1858) describes the universal `type of: a human.
However many humans are created that do not precisely match this ùniversal pattern, but are
a variation on it. This diversity is important, and overall is extremely beneficial. The
Evolutionary Algorithm in both Biology and in Culture generates diversity and variation,
and some of these units are selected, both via natural and artificial selection.
So too - in Culture - a novel may well be written (and indeed, many have been) that are
perhaps, highly unusual, and do not match the `popular or ùniversal structural pattern of:
novels. Thus, given probability, and Human Nature,73 it is extremely-unlikely that these
`radical variations of novels will be judged `creative, and become popular.
The notion of `new and useful (or the standard definition of `creative) also means `novel and
appropriate, thus, if a novel (a literary story) is judged too different by the Field (or,
Audience) to be understood - as a novel - it will not become popular in that domain (the
cultural domain of: novels).
Despite being attracted to novelty, on a grand scale, Human Nature is generally conservative,
and change (or, cultural evolution) is slow.
However, as the Internet has clearly increased the connectivity of Humanity, cultural change
(or, evolution) may well be accelerating, and new (and useful) forms of novels, plays, poems,
movies, television, videogames and other media are constantly evolving. Creative individuals -
and groups - continue to constantly combine two òld media to create a `new one: Internet
73
See the domains of Evolutionary and Cognitive Psychology, for example, in: (Buss 2012).
65
Webisodes are an emergent form of `television, and even now partially competes for viewer
attention, with television.74
As a recapitulation, it is herein suggested that the meme - or `the unit of culture - (and thus
also, the narreme, or ùnit of narrative) is: the holon-parton.
J.T. VELIKOVSKY, 2014
For more information, all the works listed in the References below are recommended reading.
See also, The StoryAlity Research Weblog:
http://storyality.wordpress.com/
74
For these reasons, Brian Boyds (2009, 2010) thesis from On The Origin of Stories: Evolution, Cognition and
Fiction, namely that all art is `cognitive play with pattern would appear to hold.
66
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72
73
AFTERWORD
It should perhaps be noted that Consilience is an antidote to `Postmodernism.
`Postmodern is often a term that is used, when someone misunderstands: How creativity
works.
As Professors E O Wilson, Dennett, Chomsky, Dawkins, Carroll (and many others in the
Consilient, and Evocriticism school of thought) have noted, it appears that `postmodernism
may be a meaningless term. But, like Freudianism, Marxism, and Deconstructionism, to date
`Postmodernism has certainly been a very viral meme, in Culture.
Semiotics has been deliberately avoided in this work as, despite claiming to be À Science of
Signs, it is not a Science.
For more on Consilience, see also: The StoryAlity Research Web Log:
http://storyality.wordpress.com/
74

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[Evolution; Culture; Evolutionary Epistemology; Applied Evolutionary Epistemology;

This book also aims to be consilient.

For a more detailed understanding of consilience,6 the following thoroughly-excellent books

Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge (Wilson 1998)

Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention (Csikszentmihalyi,

Literature, Science, and a New Humanities (Gottschall 2008)

Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation (Sawyer 2012)

The Act of Creation (Koestler 1964)

PART 1 - THEORY ............................................................................................................................ 8

Why Are Some Things Popular? ........................................................................................................ 9

What is Biology? ................................................................................................................................ 13

What are holons, and, holon-partons? ............................................................................................ 15

Holarchies - and `The 3 Laws of holarchies................................................................................... 16

A holarchy in Biology ....................................................................................................................... 17

Why Does Evolution Happen? ......................................................................................................... 19

The Meme - the Unit of Culture ....................................................................................................... 21

Biology, Bioculture, and Culture ..................................................................................................... 24

So, Why Are Some Things More Popular? ..................................................................................... 26

The Creativity Continuum ................................................................................................................. 33

PART 2 - ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS MEMES IN CULTURE, AS HOLON-PARTONS .... 35

Why Is This Important? (Does It Even Matter?) .......................................................................... 36

Jokes (as memes and holon-partons) ............................................................................................ 37

Poems (as memes and holon-partons) .......................................................................................... 38

Plays (as memes and holon-partons) ............................................................................................ 39

Novels (as memes and holon-partons) .......................................................................................... 40

Paintings (as memes and holon-partons) ..................................................................................... 41

Photographs (as memes and holon-partons)................................................................................ 42

Movies (as memes and holon-partons).......................................................................................... 43

Television series (as memes and holon-partons) ......................................................................... 44

Videogames (as memes and holon-partons) ................................................................................. 45

Transmedia (as memes and holon-partons) ................................................................................. 46

Music (as memes and holon-partons) ........................................................................................... 47

Languages (as memes and holon-partons) ................................................................................... 48

Religions (as memes and holon-partons) ..................................................................................... 49

Science (as memes and holon-partons) ......................................................................................... 50

Evolution and Creativity: Selection, Variation, Transmission-with-heredity ........................... 51

Why Does Cultural Evolution Happen? ......................................................................................... 53

A holarchy of Novels .......................................................................................................................... 54

The holon-parton structure of the meme, the unit of culture ....................................................... 60

Conclusion and Recapitulation......................................................................................................... 64

1. What culture is,

2. What `the unit of culture is,

A summary of the argument is as follows:

WHY ARE SOME THINGS POPULAR?

We can note some random examples of these:

The question can be asked: Why those, and not others?

Why are some things in culture popular, and others, not?

And for that matter, what is `culture?

In other words, the domains of anthropology, sociology, psychology, archaeology, linguistics,

This all means there is currently a problem:

`How do we define culture?

`How can we accurately measure, and track culture?

How does cultural evolution work?

Biology is: the study of living things.17

As Laszlo (1972) notes, some of the units in biology are:

(1) the organic molecule (for example DNA, and RNA)

(2) the cell

(3) the tissue

(4) the organ

(6) the individual organism (e.g. a plant, an animal, a person)

(7) The Ecosphere

(8) The Biosphere