Four Things is a meme. It’s easy and fun to play, costs nothing, has no side effects. What? You haven’t tried this? You haven’t lived.

From Answers.com, more than you need to know about memetics.

Think of this as a virus that’s fun to catch, easily discarded, leaves one feeling good for the moment, and leaves no traces, side effects, vestiges, or residue (mostly).

Create your own categories, add your four things, send to someone else via email. Here’s mine* (not in any particular order):

Four Jobs I’ve Had
  1. Radio station announcer (really)
  2. English language teacher
  3. Advertising account exec
  4. Computer systems integrator

Four Movies I Can Watch Again and Again
  1. Hunt For Red October
  2. Driving Miss Daisy
  3. American Graffiti
  4. Titanic (newest version)

Four TV Shows I Watch Regularly
  1. 60 Minutes
  2. The West Wing
  3. American Idol
  4. Two and a Half Men

Four Places I’ve Lived
  1. Sarasota, FL
  2. Honolulu, HI
  3. Sapporo, Japan
  4. Wichita, KS

Four People I Want To Interview
  1. Steven Spielberg (movie director)
  2. Tera Patrick (porn queen)
  3. Oprah Winfrey (Queen)
  4. Steve Jobs (Apple CEO)

Four Foods I Love Most
  1. Unagi and Anago (sushi)
  2. Ultimate cheeseburger (Jack in the Box)
  3. Haagen Dazs ice cream (a whole pint)
  4. Pepsi-cola (can, poured over crushed ice)

Four Songs I Can Hear Again And Again
  1. “It Was A Very Good Year” - Frank Sinatra
  2. “(Just Like) Romeo and Juliet” - The Reflections
  3. “Landslide” - The Dixie Chicks
  4. “Black Velvet” - Alannah Myles

With some examination, you’ll find “memes” have more to do with how we think than just compiling a list of “four things.” Dawkins combined the words mimic and gene to form memes.

He thought that many cultural entities could be viewed as replicators, usually replicating through exposure to people. People have evolved to be efficient though not perfect copiers of information and behavior.

In other words, we are what we are because of our genes and what we copy (parents, siblings, neighbors, school, media, local culture, language, etc.)

*Deep thought notwithstanding, you’re still obligated to put one of your responses in the Comments section below.