Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id JAA22427 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 19 Mar 2002 09:11:41 GMT Message-ID: <570E2BEE7BC5A34684EE5914FCFC368C10FBC3@fillan.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: question about memes Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2002 09:05:42 -0000 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" X-Filter-Info: UoS MailScan 0.1 [D 1] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> >A few months ago there was a program running, Vincent !? can you
> >help me out here, about the reason why some great civiliations dis-
> >appeared from the face of the earth. Evidence was duck up that confirmed
> >tthe theory that in the end, when the peoples were nearly driven to
> >exinction; their children were he only supply of food left_ not a cheer-
> >ful thought, but the hard facts. I have no problem with picturing what
> >happened and what might have been there, think of me as you like,
> >but again, by no means I am upset !
>
>
I don't recall this one offf the top of my head. In civilisations that
experienced significant hardship, whether environmental or out of conflict,
often they resort to ever more extreme forms of ritual behaviour (e.g. child
sacrifice) to try and appease the gods. I don't personally know of a
civilisation that died out because the adults ate all the kids, but there
are precedents for such behaviour in other organisms who may eat their young
if resources become very scarce, or if threatened by a predator (e.g. a wild
mouse may do this if a cat finds it's nest- and that I did see on a rather
gory TV show a few years ago about "animal cannibals").
Vincent
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