Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id VAA05581 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Sat, 6 May 2000 21:57:47 +0100 From: Diana Diamond <ddiamond@ozemail.com.au> Message-Id: <200005062055.GAA27709@fep7.mail.ozemail.net> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: RE: New Scientist article on memetics Date: Sun, May 7 2000 7:55:54 GMT+1100 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Vincent,
The link to context is the link to relational space. In my email in response to Wade's on discovery of the moral centre (center :-)) in the brain so the primary processing is the gateway where In/OUT distinctions are made. IF you cannot clearly identify then you will let something on for secondary analysis and this includes contextual analysis. Contextual analysis means analysis of HARMONICS, 'colour', 'tone' etc and it is in this area that you can implicitly influence someone.
This 'secondary' world is also one of illusion which, if successful, can create delusion as well as 'truth' :-)
The Tipping Point is where the local filtering process has allowed something to pass and that something comes under secondary analysis which goes towards exagerating (or suppressing) aspects of that 'something' such that it can be more or less than what it really 'is'.
Once you get something (or someone) into the secondary phase so that something is seen to be meaningful and full of potentials -- even if the passage through the primary processing was an 'error'.
From an internal perspective, genetic diversity alone will ensure that some people are more 'primary' and others more 'secondary' in thinking preference. Those more secondary can be prone to 'fads' but also prone to being more change oriented, seeing potentials over actuals, and so being transformative -- even if this can be at times 'illusion'.
From a media studies perspective there is an emphasis on expression over the algorithms and formulas that lead to those expressions. Context is the source of the rules and regulations; change context and you change expression, you transform, which is exactly what secondary processes deal with -- harmonics analysis.
The primary processing deals with archetypes, secondary with types. Primary is opposition based whereas secondary gets more cooperative and so on.
Primary deals with 'correct' structure, both physical and mental (and so a moral emphasis and a degree of object like behaviour, 'them' vs 'us'). It is SYNTAX oriented and once you get passed this you get into relational space that has an infinite number of 'interpretations' applicable to the 'theme'.
As for such questions re responses to Ethiopia famine etc If I recall one presenter was rather taken by the total devastation of it all and 'pushed' it so that others took notice, and those others were people who could do something.
However, there is a neurological process called habituation such that repeated exposure to the same influence leads to it being ignored, UNLESS you can find another harmonic to play with, a different variation on the theme and so re-assert the wanting to DO something.
Perhaps we need to do an analysis of the 'famine' object, determine aspects that are, or can be, used to de-habitualise those who have the resources to help but choose not to or are totally unaware of the problem.
We can then do an analysis on how to negate, neutralise these harmonics!! (I am sure someone would want those as well!)
best,
Chris.
============================================================
From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk>
Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 10:29:22 +0100
To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
Subject: RE: New Scientist article on memetics
Thanks for this,
Reading your excellent review, Gladwell seems to have hit on what is a
crucial element in memetics, and in one of my own pet subjects, media
effects- context. The importance of context is so dramatically ignored in
media effects research it is untrue, with researchers focusing entirely on
either the media content or the audience. A good example would be media
violence, where few researchers bother with the narrative context of media
violence and its relationship to broader memes about violence. Raymond
Williams some time ago incisively pointed out that only certain kinds of
violence are condemned- unauthorised violence, such as that by protestors or
criminals, rather than authorised violence, such as that committed by the
police or the armed forces. Susan Blackmore's book makes this point in
relation to religions which have tolerated, and even led to violence (the
Inquisition, Crusades, etc.), but which use the truth-trick to maintain
themselves.
The idea of a tipping point would seem to have very useful applications to
media studies in terms of media events. For example, why did the 1984
famine in Ethiopia generate the media coverage, and charity fund-raising
that it did, but other famines did not? This view gives us another way of
thinking about trying to answer that question.
Anyway, a nice piece that continues our own meme-driven quest to ensure that
memes, and memetics spread to as many brains as possible!
Yours,
Vincent Campbell
> ----------
> From: Paul marsden
> Reply To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Sent: Friday, May 5, 2000 9:03 am
> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Subject: New Scientist article on memetics
>
> Hello all
>
> Just a note to say that there is an online version of my forthcoming (6
> May)
> discussion in the New Scientist of Malcolm Gladwell's new successful book
> -
> The Tipping Point - about Social Epidemics and viral ideas
>
> <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opinion_223726.html">http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opinion_223726.html>
>
> Although IMO there may be several shortcomings of the book - Gladwell
> successfully communicates a compelling memetic message without the
> techno-jargon some of us so love. Lessons to be learned? Comments anyone?
> ________________________________________________________________________
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Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit