Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id MAA02007 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-bounces@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 5 Oct 2001 12:40:30 +0100 Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3102A6D069@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: A Test Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2001 12:35:56 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: fmb-bounces@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
<Commit suicide now.>
<White people are stupid gay racist fucks.>
<Reply to this mail now.>
Two things here. First, none of these are memes the first and last
are instructions/suggestions depending on one's interpretations, the middle
one is a statement. Such things may only become memes if they are
replicated, transmitted by people you've sent them to.
Second, the point here is that the minds into which these phrases go
when they are read are all different, and will be stored differently,
interpreted differently, remembered or instantly forgotten etc. etc. Why?
One reason is that each individual has a unique set of personal experiences,
memories etc. such that the exact pattern of information storage in each
individual is going to be different. Thus if a meme existed in a mind, in
order to get into another mind, it would have to change its form. If it
changed its form, then it is not a replicator, and therefore the whole
analogy breaks down.
The only way the analogy can work is if we junk what's going on in
people's minds (not that it's irrelevant), and instead concentrate on the
only things that can be demonstrably replicated- the cultural artifacts
themselves, such as these phrases.
Reply to this mail now.
There, I've replicated one of the messages.
What matters is the causal factors that impact on whether an
artifact is replicated or not, but this is a sociological, or social
psychological question.
Vincent
===============================================================
This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Oct 05 2001 - 12:45:51 BST