From: joedees@bellsouth.net
Date: Sun 08 Dec 2002 - 20:34:59 GMT
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> >From: Jeremy Bradley <jeremyb@nor.com.au>
> >Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> >To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> >Subject: RE: Why Europe is so Contrary
> >Date: Sun, 08 Dec 2002 20:31:55 +1100
> >
> > >> > Snip......Grant:
> > >> >> for example, seems to mark the begining and end of the
> > >> >> dynosaurs. Mitocondrial eve marks the beginning of mankind.
> > >> >> This way of looking at the universe seems so engrained in our
> > >> >> nature that it must occupy some deeper place in our makeup
> > >> >> than a cultural meme.
> > >> >>
> > >> >> Grant
> > >> >>
> >Jeremy:
> > >> > I don't think so Grant cos some cultures, mostly ones that we
> > >> > have defeated, had achieved stability and sustainability within
> > >> > their environments. These folk view 'development' as
> > >> > undesirable or bad. For them harmony with the nature that they
> > >> > found themselves in was the primary goal of existence. In all
> > >> > cases that I have found, such cultures have narrative
> > >> > patterning and content which predicates this cultural 'norm'.
> > >> > That's the short answer. Jeremy
> > >>
> >Grant:
> > >> Not many cultures that I am aware of have achieved this stability
> > >> with their environment, unless you include the possibility of
> > >> 'die back' when things are scarce. Most cultures expand to the
> > >> extent of their resources. If Hitler was not aware of this we
> > >> would have been spared WWII.
> > >>
> >Joe:
> > >Other examples of enviromnetally suicidal indigenous tribes are the
> > >ancient Easter Islanders and the Anasazi indians of the American
> > >southwest. It is a meme and a myth, kinda like the old 'noble
> > >savage', 'ancient sage' saw, that older cultures were always wiser.
> > >>
> >
> >
> >Jeremy:
> >Look Joe, I know that I am a devout environmentalist but the only
> >culture that I am aware of which could be described as
> >"environmentally suicidal" is our modern industrial one. Just to
> >touch the edges, if the 'developing nations' were to 'develop' to the
> >stage that the affluent West has it would cost us another three
> >planets worth of resources, and the pollution would have killed us
> >long before that anyway. Peace, simplicity, and environmental care
> >are what we need for sustainability. If we could achieve those goals
> >I would say that we had reached a highly evolved state. Only low
> >animals foul their surroundings and waste their resources Joe. I am
> >not saying, "older cultures were always wiser". What I am saying is
> >that it is a meme and a myth that newer cultures are always wiser.
> >Jeremy
> >
> >
> Isn't there some sort of underlying theme of "cornucopia" (aka "horn
> of plenty") at play? People are deluded into thinking there's some
> beneficient force that ensures Providence and so we need not worry
> about resources. We should go forth and multiply and utilize nature to
> its fullest extent. As an example, a patch of unused woods is an
> eyesore and must be developed and thus become economically viable and
> fulfil the aesthetic ideal of having been shaped by human hands.
> Non-grass species of wildflower are "weeds" to be eradicated by some
> chemical spray or hoe. All non-ornamental species of plant are
> "inferior" and must be destroyed.
>
> Changing gears a little, the laissez faire attitude in economics
> probably relates (ala Smith's invisible hand) to some sort of
> Providential cornucopia. That's why economic conservatives probably
> believe in the "revenue fairy" who sprinkles pixie dust every time
> taxes are cut so the economy magically "grows", revenues increase and
> all is well with *our* world.
>
> Am I viewing cornucopia and providence in the correct manner?
>
This is indeed the 'reluctant lunchbox' theory of patriarchal monotheism;
that the planet is a hostile yet inevitably subservient waystation to be
used as the faithful wish on their way to their true destination in heaven
or paradise.
>
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> ===============================================================
> This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
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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
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