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I've no formal background in memetics but have followed these discussions
with great interest for some time. What Chris said here precipitated a sort
of Zen koan breakthrough for me in thinking about thinking about thinking
about...things. What I can't quite make out is whether what I'm experiencing
is a sort of infinite regress, eternal recurrence, or something else
altogether. If I have whirled off the end of the map here, please disregard.
All Best,
Betty
In a message dated 01/24/2001 11:49:53 PM Eastern Standard Time,
ddiamond@ozemail.com.au writes:
<< I think these 'discussions' between myself and, in particular,=
Joe, Aaron, and Vincent, show a fundamental distinction at work=
namely that of SAMENESS vs DIFFERENCE.
SAMENESS thinking is like-mindedness thinking where a shared=
context (i.e. same language, education level, social elements,=
ontologies etc) acts as a source of security. This context will=
force the emergence of paranoia etc when you introduce=
DIFFERENCE into to it.
Vincent has commented on my criticism of all disciplines as=
manifesting a degree of 'madness' and his comments reflect the=
reaction to DIFFERENCE.
My approach does not criticise disciplines other than the=
assertion that they express 'facts' when they are more localised=
metaphors used to describe object (WHAT)/relationships(WHERE)=
patterns. In that context their 'truths' are always qualified.=
(When taken literally this is not the case, the 'truths' are=
expressed as if 'real'.)
In the context of genetics/memetics, there is a general feeling=
applied to this dichotomy where the 'gene' is more 'solid', more=
'object', something tangable, whereas 'meme' is more=
'relationships' in that it is intangable, composed of 'wind'=
such that memes can share the same space, unlike genes (to some=
degree; code sharing is possible)
Thus a meme can consist of other memes in that the intangable=
characteristics allow for many memes to share the same space.=
This characteristic is a property of relational space where, for=
example, complex emotional expressions (memes?) can be made-up=
of blending more basic emotional expressions; you get into the=
concept of superpositions and wave forms.
I have emphasised before re memes, to get through ANY wall, real=
or imagined, you need to use waves and it is memes that do this=
in that they get through our object oriented filtering systems=
(emphasis on the PARTICULAR, EXPLICIT). Thus a meme is expressed=
as that irritating 'jingle' in your head that has soaked-in over=
a few days of exposure.
Now think of this in the form of 'murky' arguement. A GENERAL but=
murky arguement can work the same way as a 'jingle' in that=
pockets of LOCAL data seep into the perceiver's mind over time=
-- like the emergence of a wave pattern from firing electrons at=
two slits in a wall. The emerging wave pattern reflects a hidden=
element where all of the 'independent' electrons suddenely seem=
'linked together'.
This process reflects insight, intuition etc and is a=
characteristic of object/relationship thinking to a degree where=
you can structure arguements in this way. What happens is that=
the frustration caused acts to intensify the association making,=
the drive to identify clearly "what could that be?". Eventually=
this can lead to the 'Ah-HA!' experience, an experience long=
remembered than learning from spoon-feeding.
best,
Chris.
>>
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