Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id SAA07009 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 30 Oct 2001 18:15:24 GMT From: "Lawrence DeBivort" <debivort@umd5.umd.edu> To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: "Smoking" Memes Date: Tue, 30 Oct 2001 12:57:42 -0500 Message-ID: <NEBBKOADILIOKGDJLPMAAEINCHAA.debivort@umd5.umd.edu> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2910.0) In-Reply-To: <3BDED9BE.F8CD5502@bioinf.man.ac.uk> X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2919.6600 Importance: Normal Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
You make an intriguing point, Chris. Memes as the stuff being transmitted
can be the same, but once resident in an individual's mind each meme is
modified in some way by the structures and beliefs already present in that
mind. This has several implications... Individual to individual, the
resultant behaviors of the meme will differ, and when the individual
re-transmits the meme it will be somewhat different from other
re-transmissions--all of this dependent on the internal structures and
beliefs of the individual.
Even if the meme is well-designed, it seems that it must go through these
transformations in content and impact. Can you think of a way that these
transformations might be avoided?
Lawrence
> -----Original Message-----
> From: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk [mailto:fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk]On Behalf
> Of Chris Taylor
> Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2001 11:48 AM
> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Subject: Re: "Smoking" Memes
>
>
> LDB:
> > I've suggested before on the list that a meme, to be accepted by an
> > individual, has to meet criteria that are, indeed, specific to the
> > individual, and include the individual's key beliefs and hierarchy of
> > values. While there are several ways that a meme can be crafted
> that will
> > enable it to be effective with large and unspecified groups of
> people, the
> > basic reality is that meme-acceptance is individualistic.
>
> I think the basic notion here is that two people can never have the same
> idea (/meme), except superficially, because a 'copy' is just a surface
> copy, consisting of different components (those available in a specific
> host mind). Can't remember where I read that - one of the JoM papers...
>
> Kinda like comparing similar ecosystems consisting of different types of
> organism (mammals v marsupials etc.).
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Chris Taylor (chris@bioinf.man.ac.uk)
> http://bioinf.man.ac.uk/ »people»chris
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> ===============================================================
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> see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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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
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