Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id FAA27163 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 18 Dec 2001 05:34:24 GMT X-Authentication-Warning: cheetah.nor.com.au: Host 051.analog.ppp.lismore.dataheart.net [202.147.132.51] claimed to be green-machine Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.20011218162530.0071aab8@pophost.nor.com.au> X-Sender: jeremyb@pophost.nor.com.au X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.1 (32) Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 16:25:30 +1100 To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk From: Jeremy Bradley <jeremyb@nor.com.au> Subject: Memetic Engineering v/s Cultural Evolution In-Reply-To: <003101c17ec4$2165e420$f187b2d1@teddace> References: <B8329E57.D166%bbenzon@mindspring.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Hi all
I came across the concept of memes some years ago in an examination of
cultural development as predicated by elements encoded into cultural
narratives. My thesis views cultures as the products of memetic
engineering rather than a 'natural selection', or evolution process as many
of you suggest.
In this context I define a meme as the underlying code which identifies an
artefact of culture as valid or invalid within a culture. A cultural
artefact is anything from a thought to a tea-pot which is produced by a
culture.
For example, a Western formative narrative may begin with "Once upon a time
there was a poor Prince". This unremarkable beginning assumes the
acceptance of; linier time, material and hereditary hierarchy, and would
probably end with "And they lived happily ever after". The normalising
effect of this narrative excludes the artefacts of non-compliant cultures
in like manner to the way that a genetically created physical body will
identify and reject a splinter of wood.
As you will understand the concepts which I am discussing are more subtle
than 'thought contagion'. In fact for a thought to be contagious it must
either be recognisable as valid or be able to invade the cultural body To
me memes are truly like the genes of culture. Each artefact produced
within a culture and every artefact of another culture is judged for its
acceptability or validity according to the code which produces, maintains,
defends and reproduces that culture.
My thesis, (1999), examines the cultural narratives of indigenous and
non-indigenous Australians. In a nutshell I claim that cultures are
designed, and that their directions are predicated, by the processes of
sense-creation (i.e. makes sense or doesn't) which is embedded in
childhood, spiritual, historical and contemporary narratives. In it I have
attempted to 'map' a cultural meme (and - I did it before the human gene
was mapped). The interesting thing is that the 'meme maps' for the two
cultures are consistently different.
My thesis is only at an honours level but if any of you would like to read
it E me and I will send it.
Cheers Jeremy
P. S. I may be a bit slow replying but don't worry I'll get there.
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