From: Philip Jonkers (ephilution@attbi.com)
Date: Thu 24 Oct 2002 - 04:09:03 GMT
Grant:
> The idea that we know a meme when we see one has been put forward with a
> catchy phrase serving as a model. Let me examine that idea with an example
> of my own. Would you say the term "couch potato" is an example of a meme
> that propagated itself?
Memes can't propagate themselves only meme-hosts are capable of propagating memes. However, some memes may induce their hosts
to encourage replication better than others do. In fact, the variation component in evolution (memes coming in all 'sorts and shapes') kinda
demands this to happen.
> But "couch potato," in my opinion, is not a meme but an artifact. It encodes
> an idea, along with a bunch of associated ideas, for transmission. People
> who hear that transmission will either pass it along, let it die, or store
> it away for future use some day.
"Couch potato" is an element of speech that can be replicated and
carries meaning and information, a perfect example of a meme if you
ask me. The same goes for the separate concepts of "couch" and "potatoe" although their meanings are different and the sum of their meanings does not equal their sum (except in a funny Monty Python sense). I would even go further and call the separate characters
memes for the same reasons...
Phil
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