When the novel The Da Vinci Code came out, I was told by a variety of friends and relations that I had to read it. The movie is now out , and once again, it seems not a day goes by without somebody telling me how I’ll enjoy it. I read the book. I won’t be seeing the movie. Actually, probably at some point I’ll cross paths with it, either in flipping channels or it being the best of a bad selection at the video store, and I will see it. But I’m not standing in line, or paying close to ten bucks to watch it.
Now that I’ve read the book, I’m pretty sure I’ll feel the same way towards the movie. It’s not the kind of story I find compelling, but I sure appreciate its cultural importance. So many people told me I’d love the novel that I started reading it with the expectation that it would be pleasurable, that I’d sink down into the kind of magical world that is familiar to me, where the earth is alive with spirits and the goddess is immanent. That wasn’t the case. It was a pretty run of the mill “thriller”. The big deal about the book is certainly not the writing or the character development. Even the plot is pretty standard. What makes it important, why so many people thought that I’d like it, is that it centers around the secret breaking out which just happens to contain the major memes that we pagans, witches, and goddess worshippers have been trying to get across for years. The popularity of The Da Vinci Code is a great success for us, meme wise.
I love the concept of memes. I know that they are in many ways just a high faluting way to say ideas, but still, I like the concept. My friend Patrick is part of the SmartMeme Project, and I love to talk to him and the other “memers” about their work. The memers get the whole idea of magic, of changing consciousness at will. The De Vinci Code is no work of magic, but it does show our magic is working.
Here’s the Wikipedia definition of meme:
‘The term "meme" labels a theoreticl concept introduced in 1976 by Richard Dawkins, and refers to any unit of cultural information which one mind transmits (verbally or by demonstration) to another mind. Examples might include thoughts, concepts, ideas, theories, opinions, beliefs, practices, habits, songs, dances and moods. Different definitions of memecultural evolution having an analogous resemblance to the gene (the unit of genetic information). generally have in common, very roughly, that a meme consists of some sort of a self-propagating unit of
Proponents argue that memes have, as their fundamental property, evolution via natural selection in a way very similar to Charles Darwin's ideas concerning biological evolution, on the premise that replication, mutation, survival and competition influence them. For example, while one idea may become extinct, others will survive, spread and mutate — for better or for worse — through modification.
Some meme theorists contend that memes most beneficial to their hosts will not necessarily survive; rather, memes that are the most effective replicators spread best, which allows for the possibility that successful memes might prove detrimental to their hosts.”
Isn’t the whole concept kind of wacky? A meme is an infectious idea, a life form in itself. The success of The Da Vinci Code points to several of our memes having started to survive and spread in popular culture. Here’s the ones that stick out for me, but since I barely remember the book, I’m sure there are others -
Sex is part of spirituality and sacred.
The pentacle is an ancient symbol connected to the divine – which is also female.
Women are equals in the divine department.
I’m realizing that the ideas/memes we’ve been struggling to get across for years just may not be attributed to any of us who birthed the ideas, or “reclaimed” these memes. They will flow into popular culture not thru any witches being on magazine covers, or any of us having best selling tomes on earth magic. No, our memes will spread by things like the Harry Potter series or books like The Da Vinci Code. Probably even as I write this, somebody somewhere, with no background in magic or the Craft, is writing what will be a best selling romance novel which will carry some of the same memes as The Da Vinci Code, and may popularize the idea that there is such a thing as The Goddess, and that heaven is here on earth.
But, I still may not want to see the movie.
3 comments:
What you write here is what I hold to as a poet. I rarely these days write full-on, obviously goddess-related poems but my beliefs infuse my craft always. I see my work as a layered cake - rather than expecting people to get everything straight away, allow them to sink their teeth in and savour the dish. They'll ask what went into its making later.
Of course, some might say I should be more up-front but I'm hardly hiding. I just believe subtleties of transmission pay off in the end. Confrontation and preaching rarely, if ever, do. Certainly not in any sustainable, incremental way.
Memes are amazing. I'd love to meet your friend you mention. I've read much about digital activism, and memes play a key role in all that.
Love ya, honey! x
What's funny is that when memes bubble up into the "public consciousness" they often take forms that their originators didn't intend. It's funny what a show like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or a book like the Da Vinci Code can do to/for/with Goddess religion.
Like you, I read the book but am in no particular hurry to see the movie.
I heard so much hype about DaVinci Code before I ever read it, I was expecting something spectacular. And then all through the book the characters kept building it up-- and when they finally got to the point, all I could think was, "Thats it!?! I've known this for years!"
But I'm glad for the positive exposure that Goddess spirituality is getting from the book. Baby steps, I guess.
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