Virus of the Mind

Richard Brodie

Recommended By

Book Synopsis

"Virus of the Mind" by Richard Brodie is a groundbreaking exploration of memetics, the study of ideas and how they spread in society. Brodie delves into the concept of a "mind virus," an infectious idea that can take hold and shape our thoughts and behavior.

In this concise and thought-provoking book, Brodie examines the power of memetics to explain the rise and fall of religions, popular trends, and even political movements. He argues that these mind viruses can be understood through their patterns, replication strategies, and persistence.

Brodie goes on to explain the various mechanisms by which mind viruses infect and replicate themselves, including how they tap into our emotions and exploit our cognitive biases. He emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and awareness to protect ourselves from becoming unwitting carriers of harmful ideas.

Drawing on examples ranging from cults to advertising, Brodie illustrates the potency and potential dangers of mind viruses. He presents a toolkit for analyzing and immunizing against these infectious ideas, empowering readers to break free from the confines of mind viruses and make informed choices.

"Virus of the Mind" offers readers a fascinating and accessible introduction to the field of memetics, shedding light on the pervasive influence of ideas in our lives. Brodie's careful analysis serves as a cautionary tale, urging readers to question and challenge the ideas that shape their worldviews. This book is an invaluable resource for those interested in the power of ideas and the minds behind them.

Explore More Books

See All
Prime Movers of Globalization
Fall; or, Dodge in Hell
The Idealist
#AskGaryVee
Zucked
White Working Class
The Devil’s Financial Dictionary
The Diamond Age
The Design of Everyday Things
Superhuman
The Three Marriages
Maps of Meaning
The Artist's Way
Walk in Their Shoes
Francis Crick
All I Want to Know is Where I'm Going To Die So I'll Never Go There
Devil's Harbor
A Walk in the Woods
Not The End of the World
Hyperion
An Inconvenient Truth
The Blank Swan
How To Win at the Sport of Business
The Adventures of Henry Thoreau
A History of Knowledge
A Higher Loyalty
Free Women, Free Men
The Art of People
Plentiful Energy
The Halo Effect...
The Black Dahlia
Bad News
The Plot Against the President
Lolita
Striking Thoughts
Titan
For The Love Of Physics
The Death of the Artist
Leadership
Genome
The 48 Laws of Power
Trailblazer
A History of the English-Speaking Peoples
The Hustler
The Emotion Code
Hacks
Between The World And Me
Small Is the New Big
Be the Person You Want to Find
The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo
Digital Gold
The Fabric of Civilization
Devil Take the Hindmost
Prelude to Foundation
Now, Discover Your Strengths
Flying Start
Double your Profits
The Lion Tracker's Guide to Life
An Elegant Defense
Switch
Why We Sleep
Play It Away
The Starfish and the Spider
Exit Interview
Radical Son
Powers of Two
The American Challenge
When Breath Becomes Air
Money Changes Everything
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
What Do People Do All Day?
Thinking Physics
Flow
Superintelligence
The Wizard of Menlo Park
Against The World
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
True Believer
Born Red
The Piano Tuner
Men, Machines, and Modern Times
A Whole New Mind
At Play in the Fields of the Lord
Evolving Ourselves
The True Believer
Starlink
Sustainable Materials With Both Eyes Open
With the Old Breed
The Tycoons
Electrify
Platform Revolution
From Galileo to Newton
Modernity Without Restraint
Dominion
Sex at Dawn
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
When I Say No, I Feel Guilty
I Seem To Be A Verb
Ham on Rye
Elvis Cole Series