Advertising is memetic technology. That's been repeated here several
times, but I don't recall anyone noting add memes were not designed to
reproduce. They have very specific purposes (ie cause subject to spend
money on product), but they do not undergo the selection process which
produced <Christianity>. Now that most of us are lucky enought to live in
this televised age, the TV can introduce a meme to thousands. This allows
the meme to specialize on invading a memeset without wasting resources on a
repoductive system.
serial[1]: person1-> person2->person3->person4->person3's brother
parallel: tv-> person1
person2
...
person1000000
Hm.. after that paragraph, it seems that this is what VotM might cover. We
have large memetic structures which are invaded by smaller, engineered
agents. Exept Add viri don't need to reproduce since people who watch TV
hang around other people who watch TV for the most part. There wouldn't be
/much/ of an advantage to spread to already-infected hosts.
[1] Those there are mechanisms large memetic organisms use to reproduce in
parallel, but they do not scratch the surface of a TV audience.... <sound
of mind churning can be heard as Benny Hill (evangalist on TV) is recalled>
this lists is doing wonders for my Communication Skills.
tom.