Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 09:09:47 -0700 (PDT)
From: Eva-Lise Carlstrom <eva-lise@efn.org>
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Subject: Re: Operationalising Memetics and Jones
In-Reply-To: <199804230801.JAA22484@alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk>
> From: Arel Lucas <arel@pacbell.net>
> Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 19:52:05 -0700
> Subject: Re: Operationalising Memetics and Jones
.....
> On another tack, have I missed seeing anything on this list about the
> inadvertently memetic experiment Ron Jones conducted in Palo Alto on his
> high-school class? He clearly demonstrated that it is possible to:
> a. Extract the basic elements of the Nazi scheme (to use Hofstadter's
> term for a structure analogous to a chromosome with memes for genes)
> without any memetic training or conscious knowledge of memetic theory;
> b. Teach them quickly to a group of adolescents;
> c. Cause a rapid contagion of this highly virulent scheme, even to
> racial intolerance where there was no explicit articulation of this meme.
>
> Fortunately, he also proved that it is possible to stop a contagion of
> this sort--at least at such an early stage and when done by the
> acknowledged leader.
>
> Does anyone know of any followup of this remarkable experiment?
>
> Arel Lucas
Not only do I not know of any followup, I'd really like a pointer to a
source so I can find out more about the original experiment!
--Eva-Lise Carlstrom
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