> > that is, a meme is a specific *type* of idea, one which is
> > self-propagating. Any other use of the word is *abuse*[1].
>
> Interesting. So all those ideas that float around my head and I wish
> I had time to write down or work on more but don't, are not memes...
> Aren't they just unsusccessful memes? Like genetic sports, not viable
> so they don't reproduce.
hmmm. I'm rethinking this. No, if the idea doesn't replicate in any
way, it is *not* a meme. A "potential" meme, yes. But that's like
"potential" money... don't count your chickens before they hatch!!
Brett Lane Robertson <unameit@tctc.com> wrote:
> What is a meme? A PATTERN WHICH HAS NO SPECIFIC CONTENT BUT WHOSE FORM AND
> FUNCTION GENERALIZES TO CONTENT-SPECIFIC SITUATIONS WHICH ARE THEN ORGANIZED
> IN SUCH A WAY AS TO PRODUCE A SIMILARLY PATTERNED BEHAVIOR. (my definition)
See, he agrees with what I said, and with what the book says. (this
must be one of the first posts of yours, Brett, that I've actually
understood. Party on! I'm getting smarter!)
But I'm thinking that this definition is rather strict.
See, it includes ONLY those things Brodie has called "Virus's of the
mind" and not, as Dennett originally intended, to include all those
things which we replicate, for reasons other that commands to replicate.
Like those little jingles in our head, from all those comericials.
I would certainly say they deserve to be called "memes", but it is
obvious that they don't conform to the definition above.
After all, it is *only* the content that gets replicated.
Nike... just do it.
Now, perhaps I'm unintentionally broading the field here. Is that a
meme? Or is it just brainwashing, repeated exposure, that enables use
to call it up, with just *one* word? Nike...
So tell me, fellow Memetic Vectors, which is it? Are memes ONLY
"Virus's of the mind", where form and function are all that matter? Or
do they also include phrases of content, like most advertising slogans?
ERiC
becuase, you see, we need to know how to use these words...