Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id HAA26348 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 8 Mar 2002 07:07:41 GMT X-Authentication-Warning: cheetah.nor.com.au: Host 248.digital.ppp.telstra.dataheart.net [202.147.129.248] claimed to be green-machine Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.20020308175556.0070486c@pophost.nor.com.au> X-Sender: jeremyb@pophost.nor.com.au X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.1 (32) Date: Fri, 08 Mar 2002 17:55:56 +1100 To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk From: Jeremy Bradley <jeremyb@nor.com.au> Subject: RE: Rumsfeld Says He May Drop New Office of Influence In-Reply-To: <570E2BEE7BC5A34684EE5914FCFC368C10FB9E@fillan> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
At 04:12 PM 7/03/02 -0000, you wrote:
Snip........
(Vincent)
> I didn't say that, only that oral tradition is problematic which it
>is.
Vincent
I would like to get away from our personal opinions on issues and look at
the formation of those ideas/memes. As I said before we, as a culture, have
developed the notion that text is stable. Why? It can be clearly
demonstrated that language, use and meanings change over remarkably short
periods of time. Also history is written, usually by the victors, some time
after the events and often hides as many truths as it portrays.
The thing that we text-based societies miss in deriding the accuracy of
oral society's historical accounts is that is that remembering exactly is
important, it is a cultural feature.
In the groups that I have associated with, the old people tell the story
and then check the retelling for errors. Only a group member who can retell
a story faithfully gets to be the 'custodian' of that story. It's not that
simple of course Vincent, but don't get the idea that orality is like a
trans-millennial Chinese whisper.
> You don't think accounts passed down from person to person through
>oral communication are subjective?
I think that the stories were subjective in the first place
>(Jeremy wrote)
> < In the literature I have read, and in the seminars, programs and
>discussions I
>> have heard and/or participated in, I have heard no serious suggestion that
>> mindless masacre of people occurred in this country before European
>> invasion.>
>>
>(Vincent Replied)
> Who said anything about 'mindless' masscres? I'm talking about
>sytematic territorial disputes that have historically occurred in all human
>societies. You're adding emotional emphasis to my points that are not
>there, or intended.
>
> Vincent
>
Sorry about that Vincent
I should have said that there was a belief common to ALL pre-invasion
nations and language-groups that the country 'owned' the people rather than
the other way around. Therefore, even if some conflict did occur, it was
not over territory as, even if did 'win', the country wouldn't 'know' you.
I can't describe this facet much better than this without going into a long
treatment of the subject and it may well be so foreign to your
understandings as to be misunderstood anyway.
My main point is still the question of whether territoriality and
possessiveness is natural/genetic or nurture/memetic.
Jeremy
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