From: Keith Henson (hkhenson@rogers.com)
Date: Fri 04 Apr 2003 - 19:15:43 GMT
At 12:15 PM 04/04/03 +0100, Chris wrote:
>I don't think there's anything to control as such (mentally I mean); I
>think we are all-meme entities, so as I see it there is never anything but
>memes in control.
"Control" is one of those words you have to be careful with what it means in
context. It is hard to argue that specific human behavior, for example
giving roses to a potential sex partner, is not meme directed (and culture
specific). But the *motivation* (ultimately directed toward reproductive
success) is of genetic rather than memetic origin.
>However, there could certainly be pathomemes (perhaps
>very sophisticated, like some of the flashier diseases) from an
>organic-life standpoint, and from a inorganic(meme)-life standpoint. We
>have often mentioned martyrdom here (although this is often peer/family
>related).
Hamilton made the strongest case that the psychological capacity for such
sacrifices has a genetic origin. (Genes for such behavior will be
successful because close
relatives carrying those genes are saved by such actions.) The fact that
people will give up their
lives for unrelated people in some "cause" can be considered a misfiring of
psychological traits shaped when we lived in tribes of (mostly) related
people.
snip
>>>I think we're kidding ourselves if we 'think' (ho ho - i.e. if we
>>>possess a meme, flawed because it encodes the idea that) we can control
>>>our resident memes. What about PTSD (although there is a structural
>>>change in the hippocampus I think the point is valid), and more minor
>>>stresses we relive while conscious. What about compulsive addiction too.
See "Sex drugs and cults" for what addiction is (hijacking of a social
reward pathway).
>>>I for one often have thoughts I'd rather be rid of, whether they are raw
>>>memories of having my little cat put down, yet another jingle or a
>>>craving to see the person I really should avoid (god this is getting a
>>>bit confessional, better stop).
Not every memory is a meme, only the ones that can be passed to other people
as part of culture. For example, your memory of mercy killing of animals in
pain/dying is
a meme, and a long lasting part of our culture that virtually everyone
learns. Your memory of having to apply this meme to a pet is not a
meme--does not become part of our culture.
Keith Henson
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