Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id SAA13008 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Sun, 5 Mar 2000 18:46:43 GMT Message-ID: <00d901bf86d4$191bbc20$57bc473f@j-r-molloy> From: "J. R. Molloy" <jr@shasta.com> To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: Re: new line: what's the point? Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2000 10:37:08 -0800 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3110.1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.3110.3 Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>robin said:
>
>My point is this: given all the existing concepts, such as meaning, and the
whole semiotic toolbag, what
>purpose does the meme concept serve? What place is there for a "selfish"
replicator in a world of
>consciously communicating individual minds? I thought memetics was an
alternative scenario.
>Otherwise,why bother with memes at all?
The meme concept is useful in that it helps to clarify issues and to understand
the contagious nature of thoughts and the infectious quality of ideology.
Consequently, by correlating memes to genes, we can see how mass socio-genic
illness can occur, and how we might cure or avoid it.
Cheers,
--J. R.
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