Most people have only a superficial understanding of what "meme" means. [The alliteration is purposeful and has meaning to me. You, too, should understand soon.] Those who use the word “meme’ are likely also to know “mimetic,” but may or may not connect the two terms. If you are reading this mindfully, you will see clearly that the second letter in the two targeted words are different -- e vs. i . That's because they are not etymologically related. Since both terms are frequently spoken and written, I thought it might be useful to consider them as a way to sensitize us all to what we are saying and hearing.
The words meme and mimetic do share a common conceptual root but, as noted, they have distinct etymologies and distinct meanings, as well. When most people speak about a meme, they mean an idea, icon, object, or action that is current and popular. But that does not conform to the original definition.
Dr. Richard Dawkins in the Selfish Gene introduced "meme" in 1976 as a “gene" analogue that referred to a unit of cultural transmissions similar to the bodily transmissions from a gene. To him, memes, like genes, needed to possess fidelity, (be a faithful copy) fecundity (spread widely) and longevity (have long-standing influence). Of course, those three criteria can be interpreted subjectively or objectively. Regardless of whether the subjective or objective standard is applied, however, most often when I hear or read someone referring to a meme, it does not satisfy the required three criteria. So, I feel that using the word meme often is unnecessary and/or meaningless. Perhaps the user is trying to impress rather than inform. Instead of incorrectly using the word meme, for instance, why not just say "popular"--a less ambiguous word that conveys the intended idea?
Unlike meme, "mimetic" has a long history in classical philosophy wherein it indicated the process of imitation, especially imitation in behavior or art. The original use of this word was qualitatively different than today's colloquial meaning--something mimetic had to include imitation of reality, representation of reality in a manner that evokes clear recognition or understanding, and verisimilitude (truth likeness) that strives for a degree of believability or truthfulness. It may not be an exact replica of reality but should resemble it enough to be recognized as an authentic representation, an interpretive aspect of the world, and also be a creative transformation of the original.
My point in contrasting the original and colloquial uses of the terms meme and memetic certainly is not to suggest what is absolutely right and what is absolutely wrong conversationally. Instead, I’m intent in underscoring that people are sometimes more interested in signaling their identity or tribal affiliation than they are in communicating clearly. I’m sure you are well aware of Matt Walsh’s documentary, What is a Woman? (2022) and of the sex and gender-oriented Congressional hearings that illustrated the language absurdity and confusion attendant to a simple discussion of male-female differences.
There is nothing wrong in judiciously, infrequently using memes given certain conditions. First, your use of the meme must be similar to the use of the meme of your interlocular. Second and most important, you are using the meme mindfully, not merely in rote imitation. Don’t present a prefabricated, popular meme that may not really reflect nuances of your personal idea. Speak with as much precision as possible. Then even if you use a meme, it will not be purely imitative, but closer to mimetic. For instance, rather than saying “at the end of the day," perhaps your idea would be better expressed with a phrase like “in the final analysis” or something even more creative and personal. Communicate primarily to transmit clear meaning rather than status or group affiliation.
