The selfish selfies

Abstract

The article focuses on the phenomenon of the selfie-mania in the context of the findings of memetics, science based on the idea of the selfish replicator, originating in the works of Richard Dawkins. Thesis that the current selfie-mania is symptomatic of the activity of viruses of mind, unconcerned with the survival of their carriers, is explained with the help of theories referring it to the idea of the thought contagion and the pressure on the expansion and development of media and new technologies - vectors helping to replicate the selfish memes. The article offers a diagnosis of the selfie-mania relaying on the memetical concept of infection and proposes ways of avoiding the harmful infections by raising awareness of memetics knowledge.