The term 'meme' was first coined by the famous scientist Richard Dawkins. He developed the notion that ideas, like genes, might produce offspring ideas and, across generations, gradually change in ways that would improve their survivability. In other words, way back in the past, a notion may have formed which was useful, and so survived. Over time, perhaps the situation changed and an adjustment was made in that idea. This would be an offspring meme.

As an example, in our distant past, one of our ancestors decided that eating the flesh of animals was a good idea, and so the 'meat-eating meme' was born. Another of our ancestors discovers a means of making fire reliably, and so the 'fire-making meme' arises. Some time later, another of our ancestors decided that searing the meat in fire made it taste better. The original 'meat-eating meme' has been married to the 'fire-making meme' and a 'cooking meme' has been born.

Concomitantly,  'playing-with-scorpions meme' is the kind of idea that died out quite quickly because those of our ancestors who had it exited the population before there was any real chance of the new fad taking hold.

What makes the notion of memes fascinating for many is the opportunity it provides to let us look at ideas in an evolutionary way. Memes that survive are passed on to succeeding generations, and can produce offspring, which if also successful, can be passed in the same way. Some offspring entirely supplant their parent memes. Raw flesh is still eaten today, although it is not a universal practice. The offspring meme has largely out-competed its parent, however.