Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id JAA27514 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Mon, 5 Jun 2000 09:49:30 +0100 Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D31017458A5@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Jabbering ! Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2000 09:47:30 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Ask people what a tie is for though- what's its functionality? What is the
bit of material under your shirt collar supposed to do? I don't think most
people would know, and would instead ascribe far more less manifest
(although no less important) functions like those you mention. The problem
then becomes one of arbitrariness- why does a strange bit of cloth around
one's neck offer all these other (social) functions that they indeed do?
Perhaps this is the distinctive element of cultural, as oppsed to say
technological, artefacts, in that their (apparent) utility is highly
flexible hence behaviours survive long after their origins have been
forgotten.
Vincent
> ----------
> From: Lawrence H. de Bivort
> Reply To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Sent: Friday, June 2, 2000 5:52 pm
> To: 'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'
> Subject: RE: Jabbering !
>
> The notion that some behaviors seem purposelss doesn't worry me much,
> because in practice people DO have reasons for doing these things. They
> may be 'good' or 'bad' reasons, they may be held consciously or
> unconsciously (from where they can be elicited and brought into
> consciousness).
>
>
> Take wearing a tie: There can be several reasons for doing so: it looks
> nice, others pay attention to one's ties, the choice of a tie design can
> indicate mood, conformity and the desire to indicate conformity, fabric
> quality to indicate wealth, tie style to indicate class, etc etc. All
> these can be viewed as 'useful' mediators of social relationships, an
> important function of human beings. And one can find out just why a
> peerrson wears a tie by _asking_ him why, by asking what is the value
> behind the behavior.
>
> - Lawrence
>
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This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
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For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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