>A serious question. What is a difference between saying that Memes control
>us or that Spirits control us? (I mean the angel-devil spirits, not fine
>cognac spirits).
I've though of this, too. A lot of propositions I might make I can already
see unraveling in the bright light of dissection.
Here is one difference I think might hold water (for a time):
Spirits are percieved as having "intentionallity". A spirit can "want"
something,
can plan cognitively, etc. A spirit is a whole point-of-view without a current
body. A spirit is as complicated as the person it is said to "possess".
Memes don't have "intentionallity" although they might appear to. A meme
doesn't
have the same vitality as a spirit, it is a program. A meme is simpler that the
person it is said to possess.
Another:
Spirits are believed to have existence independent of their hosts. Memes
do not.
In a lot of ways, though, they do seem similar.
Reed
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Reed Konsler konsler@ascat.harvard.edu
---------------------------------------------------------------------