From: AaronLynch@aol.com
Date: Mon 25 Nov 2002 - 18:56:56 GMT
On September 6 of 2002, I presented a paper at the Swedish Defence Research
Agency in Stockholm. The paper, titled “Thought Contagion in the Dynamics of
Mass Conflict,” is online at http://www.thoughtcontagion.com/conflict.htm.
Abstract:
The evolutionary contagion of self-spreading ideas, or thought contagions, is
introduced and applied to major topics in conflict dynamics. Beliefs are
found to self-propagate by some surprising means, such as inducing
evangelism, by manipulating imitation rates, by intimidating adherents of
alternative ideas into silence, by refutation resistance, and by deterring
dropouts. Even fairly subtle differences in the transmissivity, receptivity,
and longevity of ideas may compound into large and intense ideological
movements. Examples are found in religious warfare, Nazism, terrorism, US
unilateralism, and the ideologies behind the September 11, 2001 event. The
effect of thought contagions on the proliferation and possible use of nuclear
weapons is also discussed. The paper concludes that thought contagion
analysis offers important new insights into the dynamics of mass conflict, as
well as potential strategies in reducing mass conflict.
Section Headings:
Introduction
Imitation, Intimidation, and Inculcation
The Nazi Thought Contagion
Religious Extremism
The Arab Israeli Conflict
The 11th September Event
Nuclear Weapons Proliferation
Notes
References
Acknowledgement
From _Thought Contagion News_ of October 14, 2002:
"Replicating Fundamentalist Christian beliefs in the “End Times” affect
United States policy toward the United Nations and Israel. Contagious ideas
of afterlife glory for Islamic “martyrs” contribute to horrific attacks
around the world. Multiplying concepts of a divinely promised land in Israel
contribute to violence against Arabs. Epidemics of anti-Semitic ideas cause
vast atrocities. An evolutionary arms race of female sexual repression leads
to severe genital mutilation and male desperation. An evolutionary arms race
in weapons of war begets nuclear proliferation. The evolutionary contagion of
ideas affects world security in profound ways. With interest raised by
previous analyses of Nazism and other violent movements, the Swedish Defence
Research Agency invited me to conduct a seminar on thought contagion analysis
at their headquarters in Stockholm on September 5 and 6 of 2002. The two-day
event included a lecture and paper titled “Thought Contagion in the Dynamics
of Mass Conflict,” which is now online at
http://www.thoughtcontagion.com/conflict.htm."
--Aaron Lynch
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