Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id TAA29537 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Sat, 16 Jun 2001 19:18:11 +0100 From: Philip Jonkers <P.A.E.Jonkers@phys.rug.nl> X-Authentication-Warning: rugth1.phys.rug.nl: www-data set sender to jonkers@localhost using -f To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: La memetique a-t-elle change votre vie / Has memetics changed your life ? Message-ID: <992715293.3b2ba21e04d76@www-th.phys.rug.nl> Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 20:14:54 +0200 (CEST) References: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745ED5@inchna.stir.ac.uk> <005701c0f63a$5ec6d940$770a0950@necdirect> In-Reply-To: <005701c0f63a$5ec6d940$770a0950@necdirect> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit User-Agent: IMP/PHP IMAP webmail program 2.2.5 X-Originating-IP: 129.125.13.2 Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Quoting Pascal Jouxtel <pascal.jouxtel@wanadoo.fr>:
> I would like to make a quick survey among people interested in memetics.
> If
> you care to give a short answer, this will allow me to make the
> question
> more precise.
>
> My hypothesis is that once you start thinking memetics, your world
> view
> cannot be the same anymore. If you follow Susan Blackmore's reasoning,
> your
> idea of the self is changed. If you follow Richard Brodie (Hi, Richard
> if
> you are reading this) it even can lead you to a further development of
> your
> personality.
> You probably have noticed that most authors on the subject end their
> books
> by a very dizzying 'facing-mirrors-like' reflexion about 'how we are
> going
> to live, now that we know '.
>
> So to come to the point, my question is :
>
> 'Since you started to know about memetics, how has your inner life
> changed ?
> Do you behave differently ? Do you relate to others differently?
> Do you practice 'weeding' ?'
Hi Pascal and welcome to the our bunch of meme-lovers.
I recently became acquainted with the theory of memetics.
I can tell you, embracing the meme-meme has had a profound
effect on me. My background lies in theoretical physics.
To philosophize and analyze just about everything has taken
a prominent place in the course of my studies in physics.
Physics focuses on the `dead' world though and as such the
focal point of subjects of scrutiny I encountered
were primarily in this field.
After some time I became seriously interested in evolution theory.
My interest in memetics soon followed. I believe evolution
theory to be the most beautiful theory ever developed to account
for phenomena of the living world. The impact of memetics was
profound but nonetheless fitted perfectly in my world view.
Do I behave differently? Yes, my life has changed significantly
for the better towards even a more analytic and skeptical mind-set.
Memetics is a perfect tool to improve my analytic attitude.
I do view culture differently now that I am able to cherish
a better notion of the underlying memetic mechanisms.
Weeding? Yes, I have become a convinced atheist now by
discarding theists' sentiments and memes.
On my love for memetics: I have come to the point that I am
feverishly learning and thinking about the theory and its
implications, and I'm eager to apply it to all sorts of
cultural phenomena. You are bound to witness that as I post
my messages in this list in due time.
Cheers,
Philip Jonkers.
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