[hga]

I understood the world a whole lot better after reading The Selfish Gene (e.g. http://www.amazon.com/Selfish-Gene-Anniversary----Introducti... but see if you can find a used copy of an earlier edition). This is the book that introduced the meme meme.

Biology in general is tremendously useful in providing you with a whole set of patterns and models of "things that work" (in the proper context, of course). Studying some college level general biology is recommended if you haven't already.