Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id EAA17142 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Wed, 28 Nov 2001 04:53:14 GMT X-Originating-IP: [209.240.222.132] From: "Scott Chase" <ecphoric@hotmail.com> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: circular logic Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 23:48:15 -0500 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Message-ID: <F243SmUiS1vhXt98JiI000089be@hotmail.com> X-OriginalArrivalTime: 28 Nov 2001 04:48:16.0127 (UTC) FILETIME=[E4A488F0:01C177C7] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>From: Wade Smith <wade_smith@harvard.edu>
>Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>Subject: circular logic
>Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 15:38:31 -0500
>
>>you still insist that the wheel is
>>not imitated, merely used.
>
>I don't imitate a wheel when I ride my bicycle.
>
>And if I imitate a wheel, rather than use one, I'm not sure how
>I'd be riding.
>
>But, yes, granted, if I want to make one from scratch, I _might_
>need to use something circular.
>
>But, hey, why try so hard?, here's a spoked and trued wheel
>right here- (sitting at the bike shop, or available through a
>catalog.) I'll think I'll use that instead of imitating it to
>produce some unknown alternative as it seems to work for all
>those other bicycles out there.
>
>If all you mean by imitation is that wheels all look alike,
>well, they don't. They are all circular though (the ones that
>work), and if all you mean by imitation is that all wheels are
>circular, well, of course they are. They're wheels. And if all
>you mean by imitation is that designers working on a wheel
>prototype have to draw a circle every time, well, I think the
>circle is a little more basic to design then that.
>
>
What would it be called if person B saw a set of wheels on person A's car
and thinking these wheels really "sweet" person B goes out and purchases a
set just like them later inspiring person C to do the same (because these
wheels are really "sweet") and all of a sudden one sees virtually every car
on the weekend cruise strip with these very same wheels? Is there emulation
or imitation involved here where one person is inspired by another to buy
the same set of wheels? Mimicry?
Air shocks were a big deal on "hot rods" back when I was in high school. A
car just wasn't "cool" unless it had oversized ersatz drag-race tires on the
rear and the back of the car jacked up until it was slanted towards 30
degrees or thereabouts. People probably noticed this look applied to
somebody else's car and followed suit and it caught on spreading at a modest
rate.
Nowadays gas-guzzling musclecar hotrods aren't as prevalent, but little
fourbangers lowered and tricked out with low-profile tires and
ground-effects and booming bass subwoofer sound systems have apparently
superceded them. Well there are the SUV's too. There's probably some
demographics going on here, where the young adult age bracket who drove
Chevy Novas in the 70's and 80's are instead driving tricked out Honda
Civics.
There were always the subset of oddballs committed to tricking out thir VW
bugs. Now VW bugs are back, so who knows what the future holds.
The wide rear tire versus skinnier front tire look has giving way to
relatively similar sized low profiles all the way around. I can't think of
any wheel style trend shifts off hand, being out of the loop. I have'nt been
keeping up with all the car magazines like I used to way back when.
Does it matter what neural (L-meme to appease Joe) basis any of this stuff
had or presently has? Would such info add anything to understanding?
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