Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id MAA29193 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 8 Feb 2002 12:42:28 GMT Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3102A6D230@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Abstractism Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2002 12:31:38 -0000 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" X-Filter-Info: UoS MailScan 0.1 [D 1] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Hi Joe,
<And it does that because it was engineered to do that by the
writer. Not just any meaning. Specifically intended meanings.>
And you of all people on this list should be aware that the intended
meaning is not necessarily the meaning taken by the user. Indeed, one would
have to look for memes in texts not in terms of particular meanings, but in
the potential for meaning, with the things that persist most being those
that successfully offer a multitude of interpretations. There's a really
good book by John Turney that explores the relationship between the
Frankenstein story and the development of medical science, and public
attitudes to such (it's called 'Frankenstein's Footsteps'). Whatever the
original intent of Shelley, "Frankenstein" has been co-opted time and again,
most recently in the 'Frankenstein foods' term used to denote GMOs.
I don't know who originated the phrase, perhaps you do, but there's
this idea of the 'semiotic machine' of texts (and ambiguous events) that
enable multiple interpretations that, in memetic terms, enhances their
transmission- Frankenstein, Dracula, Jack the Ripper, the Roswell Incident
etc. etc.
Vincent
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