RE: Memetic methodology

From: Lawrence DeBivort (debivort@umd5.umd.edu)
Date: Sun 24 Nov 2002 - 15:26:01 GMT

  • Next message: Lawrence DeBivort: "RE: Memetic methodology"

    Yes, I think this is going to be seminal study. I am not the researcher, and can only encourage reporting here when the status of the research is right.

    Does anyone know of any other field research on memetics? If there is, I would be glad to compile a list.

    Cheers, Lawry

    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk [mailto:fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk]On Behalf
    > Of Grant Callaghan
    > Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2002 10:06 AM
    > To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
    > Subject: Re: Memetic methodology
    >
    >
    > This project sounds promising. I hope you'll keep us informed.
    >
    > Grant
    > >
    > >A quick thought on memetic methodology.
    > >
    > >If one views a meme as having an essential linguistic construct, and that
    > >the expression of the meme is half the act of transmission, and
    > adoption by
    > >another person is the second half, then indeed it would seem
    > that we have a
    > >measurable phenomenon, and one that we can use to determine the
    > >effectiveness of a meme (its transmission), and its performance when it
    > >comes up against countervailing memes.
    > >
    > >Using this approach, I have been able to track and map the
    > dissemination of
    > >a couple of memes through a society, and also track the mutations that
    > >occur
    > >to the meme as it is disseminated.
    > >
    > >There is a formal research project underway in memetics, by one
    > of our list
    > >members. Memes are being tracked in a locality, with a control group, and
    > >measures made of the behavioral impacts of the meme. I think the results
    > >may
    > >be reported in approximately a year. Preliminary reports look promising.
    > >
    > >Best regards to all,
    > >Lawry
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > > > -----Original Message-----
    > > > From: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk
    > [mailto:fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk]On Behalf
    > > > Of Douglas Brooker
    > >
    > > > > > I thought for a while that deconstruction had something to
    > > > offer for the
    > > > > analysis of memes, but now I'm not so sure. Looking at all the ways
    > > > > >in which a meme is being used and all the antecedants it
    > > > carries with it
    > > > > >seemed promising for a while, but now I can't see where it
    > > > will lead to any
    > > > > >concrete results. Each person uses the meme he/she picked up
    > > > in his own way
    > > > > >and in conjunction with his/her own baggage of associated
    > > > ideas. The usage
    > > > > >is different for each person each time it is used. I can't
    > > > see what's in
    > > > > >anyone's head to make comparisons with the memes they are
    > > > using. We can
    > > > > >only compare the use of a meme with the memepool at large
    > > > because it's out
    > > > > >in the open. That's what deconstruction was about.
    > > > >
    > > > > That is right and that is why the search for quantifiable data is
    > > > > problematic, IMO in memetics.
    > > >
    > > > it's not a serious problem in linguistics, so why should in be in
    > > > memetics? you just need a sound data collection methodology that is
    > > > memetics specific. what seems to be a problem, based on my
    > rather small
    > > > knowledge of memetics, is creating a meme-specific theory that is
    > > > amenable to 'field' work that facilitates the creating of
    > hypotheses and
    > > > testing them against observable data. talking about the
    > 'religion' meme
    > > > or the 'terrorist' meme in very general terms, often just a disguised
    > > > political discourse, verges on the inane after awhile, unless
    > it is the
    > > > object of your study.
    > > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >===============================================================
    > >This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
    > >Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
    > >For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
    > >see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
    >
    >
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    >
    > ===============================================================
    > This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
    > Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
    > For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
    > see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
    >

    =============================================================== This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing) see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit



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