Is genetic? Gold: the meme generation

What are we really made of? One school of thought is that biology is destiny, that genetics is the roadmap of who we are as living beings. How you look, how athletic you are, whether or not you’re going to die of cancer … all of this information is said to be buried in our genetic equivalent of the Akashic records. Bald at 30? Blame it on the chrome dome that dove into your gene pool. Are you temperamental by nature? That could be a prehistoric defense mechanism that grew out of the need to survive a cave war … and, after billions of years of replication, mutation, and natural selection, you are now an Exalted.

Then there is the issue of memes. Memes are ideas, messages, judgments, concepts, opinions and the like that, according to some, are embedded like burrs in our psyche. The yogis call them samskaras, impressions in the subtle body that can be exorcised through spiritual practices. Scientologists call them “engrams.” Like genes, memes also replicate and mutate over time as they are shared, interpreted, reinterpreted, misinterpreted … just like in a telephone game. Some examples of memes are “There is something wrong with me”, “Women are the weaker sex” and “My children should not lie.”

Some memes are passed on to us through parents, teachers, and society; they affect us from a very young age. Through the media and interactions with other human beings, we are exposed to countless new memes every day. Attachment to certain memes (because we are the ones who become attached to them, when we believe they are the truth) can result in a lot of stress and suffering.

Memes are nothing more than uninvestigated beliefs. So is it true that genetics is the true makeup of who we are, that we are nothing more than this human body and brain? This is also a meme. While genetics can determine the color of our eyes, if we can grow to be six feet tall or if we are predisposed to sickle cell anemia, there is no evidence that we are limited or victimized by height, gender, race, brain chemistry or physical health.

The power to question our beliefs can lead to a perfect body / mind as well as a perfect life … no invasive procedures required. For more information on living a life without limits through the easy self-inquiry process, visit ClearLifeSolutions.com.

© 2004 by Carol L. Skolnick. All rights reserved.