Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id KAA05670 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-bounces@mmu.ac.uk); Wed, 19 Sep 2001 10:40:07 +0100 Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3102A6CFF5@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Dawkins View Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 09:52:11 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain X-Filter-Info: UoS MailScan 0.1 [D 1] Sender: fmb-bounces@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Hi Richard,
<not Dawkins's best work. His fervent anti-religionism is coloring
his point
> of view. Certainly belief in a paradisiacal afterlife is not necessary for
> suicide commandos. Animals have a built-in mechanism to sacrifice
> themselves
> for the good of their kin. All that is necessary is to co-opt that. Even
> the
> heroic passengers on UA93, who overpowered the hijackers and apparently
> crashed the plane, were driven by that mechanism.>
>
I agree Dawkins' comments were clearly fuelled by outrage, and you
make a valid point here.
<I assure you the Government is well aware of how America's actions
are
> perceived by various factions in the Middle East. But remember, these
> barbarians have attacked many other countries. There are some forces that
> it
> just doesn't make sense to appease. They must be destroyed.>
>
Who are you going to destroy and how? As a key proponent of the
mind virus approach in memetics you should know that destruction of the
source of a powerful mind virus like a religious ideology can do little more
than increase its strength. Does Islam need another martyr in Bin Laden to
inspire generations in the future? Calling them barbarians is simply
trading insults- remember to them the West contains the barbarians. Who's
memes are stronger theirs or ours? I think you're very wrong about US
government awareness of its perception in the global community, otherwise it
might have altered its position on Israel, not left Pakistan high and dry
after the cold war finished and so on. I don't think there are many in
Europe, amongst the public anyway if not the governments, who regard US
foreign policy in the Mid East or anywhere else for that matter as that
incisive.
Vincent
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