Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id PAA25220 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 7 Feb 2002 15:05:34 GMT Message-ID: <000301c1aff0$10d6a9c0$3e03aace@oemcomputer> From: "Philip Jonkers" <philipjonkers@prodigy.net> To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> References: <006801c1ab63$b8e1c3c0$0d86b2d1@teddace> Subject: Re: Words and memes Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 20:53:22 -0900 Organization: Prodigy Internet Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0351_01C1AF50.5093EA00" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2615.200 X-Mimeole: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2615.200 Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
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Ted:
To be replicated is necessary but insufficient to qualify as memetic. Memes are not passively replicated but actively self-replicate. The mere repetition of words doesn't mean memetic propagation is occurring. Memes exploit our conscious interaction in order to replicate themselves from one mind to another. In order for this to occur, the words must involve some kind of interpretation ("bacon is evil") and not a mere statement of fact ("bacon is in the fridge"). If it's merely factual, the repetition of the statement can be accounted for according to normal, intentional use of language.
I'd say there's only no fundamental difference between the two. Either one of them
is adopted if the potential host deems it worthwhile to do so. The latter in times of
appetite for instance, the former in times of mental illness.
Both are memetic, they only appeal to different target host groups.
Philip.
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