From: Van oost Kenneth (kennethvanoost@belgacom.net)
Date: Mon 10 Feb 2003 - 21:07:10 GMT
----- Original Message -----
> I think, if the words above are Susan's, there is a misunderstanding of
what
> memes are doing in their evolution. In this case, I think the use of
> genetic metaphor is somewhat justified. I don't think memes are designing
> themselves "for" anything. I think they are evolving in response to their
> environment, which is us. They are not evolving to benefit themselves or
> us. They are evolving to meet the demands their environment places on
them.
Grant,
Maybe so, but you have to keep in mind that all the behaviors we possess,
and all of their variants, can 't just be ' genetical ' biased.
There is no genetical need to be angry, to be intolerant, to be racistic.
There is, indeed a ' memetical ' need so to speak.
So, IMO, memes will ' design ' themselves in the ways described above
if it fits their needs to propagate.
You seem to think that memes come after the fact, that something
occured out of the blue and than that memes fill up the niche left
behind by the situation. In other words, that memes are the result
of a process of coincidence. Hm, maybe, I seem to think the opposite.
Memes are of a quite different order, not only there 're memes that fill
up the pools of any environment that demands it, but there 're also
memes that create their own environment to propagate themselves
further.
The Internet is an example that can be explained in either way....
The goal I attribute to memes is their ways to propagate themselves
further... with or without your content they will just do that !
Regards,
Kenneth
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