The problem with the belief that one is enlightened

From: Joe E. Dees (joedees@bellsouth.net)
Date: Thu Sep 14 2000 - 06:25:27 BST

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From: "Joe E. Dees" <joedees@bellsouth.net>
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2000 00:25:27 -0500
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Subject: The problem with the belief that one is enlightened
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            The problem with the belief that one is enlightened, i.e. that one
    understands all, or at least the basic underpinnings of all, at the
    fundamental level, is that such people tend to become
    impermeable to subsequent learning by virtue of their erroneous
    belief that they already know or understand it all. It is an excellent
    defensive memeplex device, as it acts to foreclose the possibility
    that the "enlightened one" will seriously consider facts or
    perspectives that might invalidate or obviate their present grok-level,
    or even indeed offer the possibility that it might benefit from
    evolutionary elaboration in the light of subsequently discovered
    facts or refined understandings. If you already think that you know
    or understand it all, the attempt to learn more becomes a useless
    exercise.

    BTW, Dawkins coined the word 'meme'; does anyone know who
    coined the word 'memeplex'?

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