virus: Question on memes 101

boneill@allinux1.alliance.net
Fri, 3 Nov 1995 13:46:23 -0500


Greetings all.

I've been lurking around here for a couple months or so, trying to learn
more about memetics, essentially. So, I've got a question for y'all on
structuring. I think it might be a point of some ambiguity in the memetic
framework, or something I'm not quite grasping in its entirity yet. Anyway:

What kind of distinction is to be made between extra-somatic information
storage (eg. e-mail, 1-900 recordings, pop-up books, etc.) and the
ideas/concepts in my head? Are both considered out-n'-out memes? Or is
information in extra-somatic format something akin to a virus in its
dormant brick stage? Or is corporeal interior/exterior distinction not even
merited?
I know it's a complex issue, but I'd be interested in a thread on this subject.

Regards,

Brad.