Re: Central questions of memetics

From: Bill Spight (bspight@pacbell.net)
Date: Mon May 08 2000 - 18:29:05 BST

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    Date: Mon, 08 May 2000 10:29:05 -0700
    From: Bill Spight <bspight@pacbell.net>
    Subject: Re: Central questions of memetics
    To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
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    Dear Vincent,

    > Sport, is in fact an ideal topic for memetics, as it can demonstrate just
    > how tenuous sociobiology's genetic advantage argument must be. Perhaps it
    > makes sense for the professional sports people (atheleticism undoubtedly
    > offers genetic advantages), but what about the rest of us who spend lots of
    > our time and resources (financial and emotional) simply spectating? I like
    > sport, I have nothing 'against' it, but I am interested in the level of
    > investment people place on sport.

    Rewarding displays of prowess by praise and adulation would seem
    to me to have benefits in relatively small social groups for
    those whose well-being depends upon the use of that prowess for
    the good of the group. In modern sports that link is lost,
    however. OTOH, as a ritual of social cohesion, sport still
    provides some benefits to the fans in their relations to each
    other. OC, that kind of benefit is not confined to sports. One
    Dead Head can immediately appreciate another.

    Best regards,

    Bill

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