Memes vs. Genes: The Shakers as a model of Family, Gender and Religion

The Shakers, a Protestant religious denomination officially called The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, originated in Manchester, England in 1772, have only 4 surviving members in Maine today. This means they are practically extinct as a culture -- a perfect example of ethnocide. Why are they nearly extinct? Because they believe in celibacy. Yet they have survived through proselytizing and adopting orphans. What a contrast to the nuclear family in America, what a different relationship to gender organization they have and what a religion (one that teaches ideas that have a negative impact on their "genetic fitness" as Philosopher Dan Dennett said of the Shakers--see his Ted Talk "Ants, terrorism, and the awesome power of memes" http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/116 .)

The name "Shakers," originally pejorative, was derived from the term "Shaking Quakers" and was applied as a mocking description of their rituals of trembling, shouting, dancing, shaking, singing, and glossolalia (speaking in strange and unknown languages). They were taught that their demonstrations of shaking and trembling were caused by sin being purged from the body by the power of the Holy Spirit, purifying the worshipper. Often when they sing their "Shaker songs" they stomp insistently through the performance to perhaps shake out sin.


Regarding gender organization, villages are divided into groups or "families". Each house is divided so that men and women do everything separately. They use different staircases and doors, and sit on opposite sides of the room.

Though nearly extinct as a culture, many Americans are very familiar with Shaker furniture. From Wikipedia: "One of the major attributes of the Shakers was to build. This combined with their dedication to hard work and perfection has resulted in a unique range of architecture, furniture and handicraft styles. They relied on their own skills and natural resources for all these as well as for providing for their family. Shakers designed their furniture with care, believing that making something well was in itself, "an act of prayer." They never fashioned items with elaborate details or extra decorations, but only made things for their intended uses. The ladder-back chair was a popular piece of furniture. Shaker craftsmen made most things out of pine or other inexpensive woods and hence their furniture was light in color and weight."

Here is an article from 2004 on the Shakers in the Boston Globe "The Last Ones Standing":

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2006/07/23/the_last_ones_standing/