Re: rewards/attention

From: Wade T. Smith (wade.t.smith@verizon.net)
Date: Tue 18 Feb 2003 - 17:01:33 GMT

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    On Monday, Feb 17, 2003, at 22:52 US/Eastern, memetics-digest wrote:

    > Computer viruses are another close analogy to memes. Only there we
    > understand how they work right down to the hardware

    Well, somebody understands how they work, I'm sure. I don't. I just know my particular hardware/software (an Apple G4 running OSX and not running any Microsoft programs) cannot be harmed by them. I am capable of passing them on, however, unconsciously, to those susceptible, and with no effect upon my own 'host'.

    Such could be said about memesinthemind- they are equally unconscious, equally capable of being passed without being held. It is this element of unconsciousness that no memetic theory (AFAIK) has gotten right, although the reward/attention hypothesis is a good one.

    - Wade

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