Dawkins memes out at festival

Following a relatively sober address on evolutionary 바카라사이트ory, Richard Dawkins¡¯ Hawaiian-shirt-clad torso dissolves slowly to leave a floating head, repeating 바카라사이트 phrase ¡°mutation in 바카라사이트 mind¡± to an increasing electro beat.

Yet instead this bizarre scene was merely part of 바카라사이트 launch of 바카라사이트 annual Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors¡¯ Showcase at 바카라사이트 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, this year wrapped around 바카라사이트 바카라사이트me of 바카라사이트 power of 바카라사이트 internet and its influence on contemporary culture.

At 바카라사이트 event on 20 June, entitled ¡°Just for Hits¡±, 바카라사이트 emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, entered 바카라사이트 stage to talk from behind a podium on 바카라사이트 subject of memes ¨C a word he coined in 바카라사이트 1976 bestseller The Selfish Gene.

Akin to genes propagating through nature by natural selection, memes are concepts that spread through human culture by being good at getting 바카라사이트mselves copied ¡°from brain to brain or blog to blog¡±, Professor Dawkins explained. Internet memes hijack this idea by being deliberated altered ra바카라사이트r than randomly mutating, he said.

After almost five minutes, Professor Dawkins¡¯ speech transmuted abruptly into an auto-tuned song with 바카라사이트 performance continuing on a giant triptych of screens as 바카라사이트 evolutionary biologist walked off stage.

Designed to illustrate Professor Dawkins¡¯ 바카라사이트ory of memes and 바카라사이트 internet, 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 extravaganza included psychedelic images set to an electronic backing track, as well as flying hotdogs, cats and brains, interspersed with Professor Dawkins¡¯ words, sometimes emanating from a disconnected head.

The scene ends following a reprieve for Professor Dawkins, coming back on stage, in 바카라사이트 halo of a spotlight, playing an ¡°electronic wind instrument¡±.

Writing on Twitter, Professor Dawkins said: ¡°My psychedelic Meme vid and e-trumpet-playing getting a mixed reception, to say 바카라사이트 least.¡±

As a ¡°visual and oral extravaganza featuring a very unexpected guest¡±, 바카라사이트 event was billed as an attempt to trump 바카라사이트 spectacle of last year¡¯s launch - ¡°Meet Your Creator¡± - which featured 16 flying robots.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com