Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id UAA26345 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Sun, 24 Feb 2002 20:27:49 GMT Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 15:22:20 -0500 Subject: Re: Systematics and Memetics:Towards a Memetic Species Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed From: "Wade T.Smith" <wade_smith@harvard.edu> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In-Reply-To: <3C940979@iit1s21> Message-Id: <347FD0F2-2964-11D6-98B8-003065B9A95A@harvard.edu> X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.481) Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
On Sunday, February 24, 2002, at 12:57 , rmey4892 wrote:
> Finally, I feel the need to point out one other point about memetic
> species.
> It may soon loose its usefulness as a concept since technology [snip]
> will
> allow for significant cultural exchange and soon render the term
> useless.
Local cultures are, in a very real sense, memetic species. Race is fast
being recognized as impossible to find biologically, and most physical
differences seem explainable through environmental and developmental
mechanisms and conditions.
Language is a main division, although difference there is also, IMHO, a
local phenomenon. (We all _can_ have language. We can't have long necks
or prehensile tails.) Music, especially the chromatic and tonic systems
used, is another. For all intents and purposes, I consider religion
irrelevant, since along with choice of transportation and fast food
emporium it's more choosing whatever's handiest, if one is allowed to
desire to choose anything at all- and that is not a species difference
but a universal inertia.
When we all of us discourse in english and listen to Yanni, or whatever,
it will be a matter of plumage....
- Wade
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