Re: virus: Will the real meme please stand up.

Neco and Jeff (NecoandJeff@mail.org)
Mon, 04 Aug 1997 11:00:21 +0900


Tim Abbott wrote:

> Is that the point of memetics? Another way of saying the same old thing?
> No it's not. The real point is the, unproven, premise that human ideas
> within their own particular environment are subject to the same mechanism
> of natural selection as are genes with theirs. The word "meme" has been
> coined in an attempt to put a neat verbal wrapper around the concept, but
> in fact has failed since the consequences are too complex and misunderstood
> to be easily wrapped.

Very well put. Although the little conversations going on in here are
interesting and I have enjoyed participating in them, I too am eager to
get a real discussion of memetics started in addition to the current
phenomenon of simply using a set of kewl new words as an innovative way
of advocating very personal and subjective beliefs of what is right or
wrong with the world. Anyone else?

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