Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id UAA03422 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Sun, 28 Oct 2001 20:51:46 GMT From: "salice" <salice@gmx.net> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Date: Sun, 28 Oct 2001 21:45:36 +0000 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Subject: "Smoking" Memes Message-Id: <E15xwr4-0007H8-00@dryctnath.mmu.ac.uk> Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Well i read this example about 'bad' memes according to
natural/genetic fitness of the person who smokes and so on.
I also agree that smoking is mostly an action which people turn
into because of social concerns. I want to look at it a bit further
tho.
People react to smoking in different ways. Some are more likely to get
cancer from smoking while others don't. My parents for instance are
both very intense smokers but have no cancer while a lot of people get
cancer from smoking less than they do. I don't want to make a point
about whether smoking is good or bad i just want to say that people's
bodies handle it differently. Some are more likely to get cancer from
smoking and die from it while others don't.
How does this relate to social fitness and genetical fitness?
Let's say there is a certain social structure which is pro-smoking. If
you want to be a fully accepted part of it then you have to smoke. So
based on social fitness the "smoking meme" is a good one to chose in
this case. Furtheron, how does this "smoking society" affect genetical
fitness? As different people in this society react differently to
smoking, a part of the people's genetical fitness relies on the fact
how good their body can deal with the effects of smoking. A person in
this society who is unlikely to get cancer from smoking is genetically
more fit (in this society!) then a person which gets cancer and dies.
Therefore this "smoking society" creates a new aspect towards
survival of certain dna in this society. Apart from nature, society,
by requirering this behavior creates a new element of selection. Those
who are less likely to get cancer in this society are more fit in it
and survive. So apart from natural selection there is this actually
human-created selection.
So the "Smoking"-Meme in this society causes certain people to be
genetically more fit than others. Furtheron this meme didn't came from
nowhere, it was actually made part of society by people (Idols for
instance).
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