But the underlying concept of the meme arguably predates Dawkins — humans have long used symbols to pass along ideas, as The New York Times noted in 2022.
Stroke by stroke, the emblems take shape over time; time Rollins spends reflecting on the drug charges that landed him in jail and what the experience has cost him.
—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
10 Dec. 2025
Through these stories, audiences learned to view extravagant dwellings as not just emblems of individual success but portals into a fantasy life.
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