RE: draft abstract Sex, Drugs and Cults

From: Keith Henson (hkhenson@cogeco.ca)
Date: Sat Feb 16 2002 - 03:22:53 GMT

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Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2002 22:22:53 -0500
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
From: Keith Henson <hkhenson@cogeco.ca>
Subject: RE: draft abstract Sex, Drugs and Cults
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    At 06:53 PM 15/02/02 -0800, you wrote:
    >Keith wrote:
    >
    ><<they provide
    >clear benefits to those who host them, i.e., learn behaviors or
    >information. They are passed from generation to generation because of the
    >benefits (ultimately to the genes of their hosts) they provide.
    >
    > But a whole class of memes have no obvious replication
    >drivers.>>
    >
    >So by "no obvious replication drivers" you mean "no obvious benefit to human
    >reproduction"?

    Yes. Those which do have benefits are easy to explain why they are passed on.

    ><<Of course, the really interesting
    >thing is why people of high wealth don't spend it all on having a dozen
    >children. At one time they did, and in some cultures, particularly Islamic
    >they still do.>>
    >
    > >From the wealth's point of view, it would only make sense to have lots of
    >children if it would replicate the wealth rather than diluting it.

    There was a time when children *were* wealth. You could use their labor to
    have more children yourself and to make the tribe resistant to being attacked.

    Times have changed.

    Keith

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