Re: Memetic AIDS (was Re: virus: a tangent)
Tony Hindle (t.hindle@joney.demon.co.uk)
Wed, 19 Mar 1997 04:12:25 +0000
In message <3.0.32.19970318165956.01a8c780@lucifer.com>, David McFadzean
<david@lucifer.com> writes
>At 09:02 AM 18/03/97 -0500, Kirt A. Dankmyer -- aka Loki wrote:
>>>Beware. Memetic AIDS.
>>
>>This is actually what I was thinking, but I didn't want to say that. Some
>>people find the "infection" metaphore nasty enough as it is.
>
>What types of memetic infection would cause the equivalent of immuno-
>deficiency syndrome? Perhaps ideas like:
>
>- If lots of people believe it, it must be true.
>- If its been around for ages (tradition) there must be something to it.
>- X makes my life (worth living, more interesting, etc.) so it must be valid.
>- If I can't imagine it, it must not be true.
>- Anecdotal evidence is good evidence.
>- We don't currently understand it so it must be mystical or beyond
>comprehension.
>- Mystery is good.
>- It is a virtue to believe something without evidence.
>- Everything is (relative, contextual, subjective) therefore nothing is
> intrinsically better than anything else.
>- I create reality (solipsism).
>
>These are just a few ideas off the top of my head (definitely open to
>criticism). Any others?
Newspapers always print the truth.
My judgement is not as good as others'
My judgement is the best ever.
If there's no evidence it's been hidden from us.
People always speak the truth.
I have got 5 minutes to live.
Tony Hindle.