Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id JAA24376 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Wed, 16 Jan 2002 09:30:49 GMT To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Message-Id: <AA-AC093ACF37FFE5835D9C5672C7573384-ZZ@maillink1.prodigy.net> Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2002 04:26:55 -0500 From: "Philip Jonkers" <PHILIPJONKERS@prodigy.net> Subject: Re: Knowledge, Memes and Sensory Perception Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Grant:
>I can understand acupuncture and feng shui. The have
some valid principl=
>es=20
>behind them. For Acupuncture, Howard Bloom discussed
the principle of th=
>e=20
>appearance of control in The Lucifer Principle.
There is also the placeb=
>o=20
>effect. If people believe it works, there is a good
chance that it will=20
>work for some people. The feng shui thing is based
on the effect light a=
>nd=20
>air flow have on how well and comfortable you will
feel. Chinese were to=
>ld=20
>never to have the entrance face the north because the
north wind brought=20
>sickness with it. A lot of the things the gods
decreed had elements of=20
>common sense behind them.
>
>I think what keeps astrology going is the art of
semantics. The predicti=
>ons=20
>are worded in such a way that they apply to almost
anyone. I used to pla=
>y a=20
>game with my mother, who was hooked on the astology
column of the local=20
>paper. I would read my daily prediction and tell her
it was hers, then a=
>sk=20
>her if she really thought it described her life and
her problems. She=20
>always said it did, even though she is female and her
birthday is halfway=
>=20
>around the calendar from mine. Then I would read
hers ask her if she=20
>thought it fit me. She always did. After I analyzed
them, I realized th=
>ey=20
>would fit just about anybody regardless of when they
were born or what se=
>x=20
>they were. The trick was in the wording not the
predicting. Things like=
>=20
>you will meet a man with dark hair are impossible to
dispute because you =
>can=20
>hardly go through the day without meeting one unless
you hide in your hou=
>se=20
>and don't go out. Only a few people have to feel
they benefitted and get=
>=20
>the word out to keep the meme going on hope alone.
Any chance to control=
>=20
>your life is better than no chance at all.
You may find one of my earlier postings interesting
in which I present a rational argument with a memetic
flavor on why horoscopes and the lot work.
It's called: Debunking Pseudoscienc: Why astrology
really works...
Philip.
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