Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id UAA08190 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 14 May 2002 20:08:25 +0100 From: <rrecchia@mail.clarityconnect.com> Date: Tue, 14 May 2002 15:05:53 -0400 To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: pls direct me to a memetics list <eom> X-Mailer: WorldClient Pro 2.2.1 In-Reply-To: <FF949C18-6766-11D6-8EFE-003065A0F24C@harvard.edu> Message-ID: <1190719550-4119218@smtp.clarityconnect.com> Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>
> On Tuesday, May 14, 2002, at 01:57 ,
> <rrecchia@mail.clarityconnect.com> wrote:
>
> > Personally I believe that we are better off
> > avoiding hot button topics like current events because different
> > cultures, political perspectives, and religious beliefs can lead to
> > different conclusions which is unlikely to lead a broadly
> > accepted theory
> > of memetics. I don't get particularly upset when I see diversions
> into
> > discussion of these areas because I think that it is something that
> > happens as a result of the open nature of this list. I'd
> > rather not see
> > it happen but I don't die when it does.
>
> So, the environmental divisions like regionalism and politics
> and local customs are sometimes too tangential to be reliably
> studied cultural artifacts and will not lead to broad theories?
I think that our own biases color any such theories and limit their
acceptance in the broader community.
>
> (And I do still, regardless of your reference to authority,
> think that chain letters are truly worthless, both as artifacts
> themselves, and as study material. But, again, that is my own
> personal bias, and if I were actively involved in memetic
> research, I would never use any chain letter analysis. Things
> that belong in the trash are just that. It is a uselessly
> circular analysis, chain letters, IMHO. But, who am I? Dawkins
> and your Goodenough must be good enough, eh?)
>
> - Wade
>
It is not an area that exactly makes me salivate but I think that an
objective analysis of chain letter variation and reproduction could have
it's uses. If someone (if they haven't already) wanted to collect
different sorts of chain letters and do a cladistic analysis or a survey
of their spread it might have some value.
Ray Recchia
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