Re: Modes of transmission

From: Wade T. Smith (wade_smith@harvard.edu)
Date: Wed Jan 16 2002 - 04:22:44 GMT

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Subject: Re: Modes of transmission
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2002 23:22:44 -0500
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From: "Wade T. Smith" <wade_smith@harvard.edu>
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    Hi Joe Dees -

    >They may show them, tell them, write to them, show them a picture, all
    >with the (sometimes successful) intention of transmitting the selfsame meme.

    Well, I'm feverish, not thinking straight, although I'm sure there are
    those who would say that is my normal MO, but, what you just said above
    looks like a behavior that is a meme to me. All I have to do is change
    'selfsame meme' to 'meaning' and I'm set.

    But, it does look like meaning is a stickler here, and even intention. I
    was trying to get out of the way of that semantic, well, crap, by
    isolating the meme, the cultural element of evolution, to behavior, and
    moving everything else into the factory, the memetic pool, the cultural
    environment- ideas, intentions, meanings, language, laws, skills, arts,
    science, fashion, et al.

    In this way, the behavioral meme was the obvious agent in the environment
    of culture- the agent that altered the species of chair upon which we
    sat, and the agent that altered the variety of restaurant where we ate,
    and the agent that altered the shape of the hat on our heads, ad
    infinitum. And none of that messy meaning stuff to have to sift through,
    and interpret, and well, get wrong.

    - Wade

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