How do ideas spread, mutate, and survive? Why do we laugh when others laugh, adopt accents, hum songs that refuse to leave our heads, or suddenly find ourselves saying "actually"? This seminar explores the evolution of information through the lens of theory of memes, also known as memetics—the study of how cultural patterns replicate, vary, and undergo selection. Beginning with genes and the logic of biological evolution, we trace the emergence of memes as cultural replicators transmitted through imitation, communication, and media. Along the way we examine mirror neurons, contagious behaviours, habits, dopamine, earworms and mindworms, the Maluma–Takete effect, memetic complexes such as fashion, ideology, and religion, self-referentiality, the formation of the egoplex, viral phenomena, computer viruses and worms, apps, emojis, memecoins, and other contemporary manifestations of cultural evolution. Combining perspectives from evolutionary theory, psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, linguistics, media studies, and computer science, the seminar invites participants to view culture itself as an evolving ecosystem of replicating patterns which often act and express themselves independently from what our bodies, minds and souls "actually" want.
2660
How
do
ideas
spread
''
mutate
''
and
survive
?
Why
do
we
laugh
when
others
laugh
''
adopt
accents
''
hum
songs
that
refuse
to
leave
our
heads
''
or
suddenly
find
ourselves
saying
„
actually
“
?
This
seminar
explores
the
evolution
of
information
through
the
lens
of
theory
of
memes
''
also
known
as
memetics
—
the
study
of
how
cultural
patterns
replicate
''
vary
''
and
undergo
selection
.
Beginning
with
genes
and
the
logic
of
biological
evolution
''
we
trace
the
emergence
of
memes
as
cultural
replicators
transmitted
through
imitation
''
communication
''
and
media
.
Along
the
way
we
examine
mirror
neurons
''
contagious
behaviours
''
habits
''
dopamine
''
earworms
and
mindworms
''
the
Maluma
–
Takete
effect
''
memetic
complexes
such
as
fashion
''
ideology
''
and
religion
''
self
-
referentiality
''
the
formation
of
the
egoplex
''
viral
phenomena
''
computer
viruses
and
worms
''
apps
''
emojis
''
memecoins
''
and
other
contemporary
manifestations
of
cultural
evolution
.
Combining
perspectives
from
evolutionary
theory
''
psychology
''
neuroscience
''
philosophy
''
linguistics
''
media
studies
''
and
computer
science
''
the
seminar
invites
participants
to
view
culture
itself
as
an
evolving
ecosystem
of
replicating
patterns
which
often
act
and
express
themselves
independently
from
what
our
bodies
''
minds
and
souls
„
actually
“
want
.
![]()
Humans are story-telling animals. In the peri(patetic|cycletic)
SoSe2026 seminar at Gutshof Sauen, we shall reflect upon history of
story-telling as it has been, since times immemorial, practiced in
different cultures and different contexts (artistic, educational,
political etc.). We will ask questions like: "How will
story-telling look like in the future ? What methods, instruments and
media will be used to-tell-the-story in year 2300 ? Will AIs and
corporations be the principal story-tellers or are they just temporary
actors reminding us how important it is that humanity should protect its
"narrative sovereignity" ? What stories will be told, by whom, and to
whom ?". But first and foremost: we will practice. Outdoor and
indoor; by a fireplace and in Extended Reality, we - You, me, us - will
be telling stories. And, hopefully, also learning in the process.
2359
Humans
are
story
-
telling
animals
.
In
the
peri
(
patetic
|
cycletic
)
SoSe2026
seminar
at
Gutshof
Sauen
''
we
shall
reflect
upon
history
of
story
-
telling
as
it
has
been
''
since
times
immemorial
''
practiced
in
different
cultures
and
different
contexts
(
artistic
''
educational
''
political
etc
.).
We
will
ask
questions
like
:
„
<
strong
>
How
will
story
-
telling
look
like
in
the
future
?
What
methods
''
instruments
and
media
will
be
used
to
-
tell
-
the
-
story
in
year
2300
?
Will
AIs
and
corporations
be
the
principal
story
-
tellers
or
are
they
just
temporary
actors
reminding
us
how
important
it
is
that
humanity
should
protect
its
“
narrative
sovereignity
„
?
What
stories
will
be
told
''
by
whom
''
and
to
whom
?
strong
>
“
.
But
first
and
foremost
:
we
will
practice
.
Outdoor
and
indoor
;
by
a
fireplace
and
in
Extended
Reality
''
we
-
You
''
me
''
us
-
will
be
telling
stories
.
And
''
hopefully
''
also
learning
in
the
process
.
![]()
How will (story-)telling look like in the future ?
What methods, instruments and media will be used to-tell(-the-story) in year 2300 ?
2535
How
will
(
story
-)
telling
look
like
in
the
future
?
<
br
><
br
>
What
methods
''
instruments
and
media
will
be
used
to
-
tell
(-
the
-
story
)
in
year
2300
?
![]()
2536
<
a
href
=
„
https
://
udk
.
ai
/
sauen
“
>
https
://
udk
.
ai
/
sauen
a
>
(
main
course
information
)<
br
/><
br
/><
a
href
=
„
https
://
udk
.
ai
/
classroom
/#/
room
/#
udk2300
:
medienhaus
.
udk
-
berlin
.
de
“
>#
udk2300
:
medienhaus
.
udk
-
berlin
.
de
a
>
Matrix
room
(
if
You
install
Matrix
client
(
e
.
g
.
<
a
href
=
„
https
://
element
.
io
/
de
/
download
“
>
Element
a
>)
App
on
Your
device
use
„
medienhaus
.
udk
-
berlin
.
de
“
as
the
homeserver
)
![]()
Foreword(s)
2508
![]()
Texts You will go through with Daniel
Ursula leGuin: the Telling
William Storr: The science of story-telling
Joseph Campbell: The hero with the thousand faces
Paul Ricoeur: Introduction to the Structural Analysis of Narratives
Texts You will go through with Rinah
Ingold, Tim: Lines (threads and Traces:p 39-53)
Trinh T. Minh-Ha: The Story began long time ago..(intro, 2 pages) 125-151 (Stories and their tellers)
Flusser, Vilem: Crisis of Linearity
Flusser, Vilem: Gestures
Suarez, Lavender: Transcendent Waves: How Listening Shapes Our Creative Lives.
2524
Texts
You
will
go
through
with
Daniel
<
p
class
=
„
fragment
“
>
Ursula
leGuin
:
the
Telling
p
><
p
class
=
„
fragment
“
>
William
Storr
:
The
science
of
story
-
telling
p
><
p
class
=
„
fragment
“
>
Joseph
Campbell
:
The
hero
with
the
thousand
faces
p
><
p
class
=
„
fragment
“
>
Paul
Ricoeur
:
Introduction
to
the
Structural
Analysis
of
Narratives
p
>
Texts
You
will
go
through
with
Rinah
<
p
class
=
„
fragment
“
>
Ingold
''
Tim
:
Lines
(
threads
and
Traces
:
p
39
-
53
)
p
><
p
class
=
„
fragment
“
>
Trinh
T
.
Minh
-
Ha
:
The
Story
began
long
time
ago
..(
intro
''
2
pages
)
125
-
151
(
Stories
and
their
tellers
)
p
><
p
class
=
„
fragment
“
>
Flusser
''
Vilem
:
Crisis
of
Linearity
p
><
p
class
=
„
fragment
“
>
Flusser
''
Vilem
:
Gestures
p
><
p
class
=
„
fragment
“
>
Suarez
''
Lavender
:
Transcendent
Waves
:
How
Listening
Shapes
Our
Creative
Lives
![]()
Today we dive into the theoretical framework of the course.
Daniel: anthropological & cognitive aspects of narration, linguistics / rhetorics, relation to narrations and mythology, scouting
Rinah: embodiment, relation(ship), linearity
If the weather is nice, we will go outdoors (e.g. Medienhaus Terrace, Medienhaus Garden or Kleistpark)
2509
<
div
>
Today
we
dive
into
the
theoretical
framework
of
the
course
.
div
><
div
><
br
>
div
><
div
>
Daniel
:
anthropological
&
cognitive
aspects
of
narration
''
linguistics
/
rhetorics
''
relation
to
narrations
and
mythology
''
scouting
div
><
div
><
br
>
div
><
div
>
Rinah
:
embodiment
''
relation
(
ship
)''
linearity
div
><
div
><
br
>
div
><
div
>
If
the
weather
is
nice
''
we
will
go
outdoors
(
e
.
g
.
Medienhaus
Terrace
''
Medienhaus
Garden
or
Kleistpark
)
div
><
div
><
br
![]()
The main narrative
2510
![]()
Reflecting on what happened.
Preparing for Rundgang.
2511
<
div
>
Reflecting
on
what
happened
.
div
><
div
><
br
>
div
><
div
>
Preparing
for
Rundgang
![]()
Epilogue
2512
![]()
2122
![]()
Hello wrldz ;)
2143
![]()
Let's start the vertical and horizontal analysis of past, present and future myths.
2196
Let
'
s
start
the
vertical
and
horizontal
analysis
of
past
''
present
and
future
myths
.
![]()
Dark age & co.
2144
![]()
Destination 1: The Moon
2145
![]()
Frankenstein
The Sandmann
Erewhon
Paris in the 20th century
The Time Machine
2146
Frankenstein
<
div
>
The
Sandmann
div
><
div
>
Erewhon
div
><
div
>
Paris
in
the
20th
century
div
><
div
>
The
Time
Machine
<
br
![]()
1984
Brave New World
Island
Glasperlenspiel
Handmaid's Tale
2147
1984
<
div
>
Brave
New
World
div
><
div
>
Island
div
><
div
>
Glasperlenspiel
div
><
div
>
Handmaid
'
s
Tale
![]()
R.U.R.
Metropolis
Astounding Stories
(Asimov's) Laws of Robotics
R. Daneel Olivaw
2148
R
.
U
.
R
.<
div
>
Metropolis
div
><
div
>
Astounding
Stories
div
><
div
>(
Asimov
'
s
)
Laws
of
Robotics
div
><
div
>
R
.
Daneel
Olivaw
![]()
John "Ticktockman" W. Campbell vs. Harlan "Harlequin" Ellison and Horselover "nicht-alle-Tassen-im-Schrank" Fat
2338
John
„
Ticktockman
“
W
.
Campbell
vs
.
Harlan
„
Harlequin
“
Ellison
and
Horselover
„
nicht
-
alle
-
Tassen
-
im
-
Schrank
“
Fat
![]()
2364
<
div
><
br
![]()
Space opera: epic destiny, cosmic technology, and the quiet suspicion that none of this was strictly necessary.
2149
Space
opera
:
epic
destiny
''
cosmic
technology
''
and
the
quiet
suspicion
that
none
of
this
was
strictly
necessary
.
![]()
Dune
Star Wars
Foundation
Cantos Hyperion
2151
Dune
<
div
>
Star
Wars
div
><
div
>
Foundation
div
><
div
>
Cantos
Hyperion
![]()
Ursula leGuin
Neal Stephenson
2152
Ursula
leGuin
<
div
>
Neal
Stephenson
![]()
2153
<
div
><
br
![]()
Olivia Butler - The parable of the Sower
2154
Olivia
Butler
-
The
parable
of
the
Sower
<
div
>
Nnedi
Okorafor
- <
br
><
div
><
br
>
div
![]()
Medienhaus Aula, Gaia
2155
![]()
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