From: <erimann@ix.netcom.com>
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 21:11:15 -0700
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Subject: Diffusion + Memetics
If that ain't the damndest thing...a revelation even. I just finished
cranking out 40 pages or so for Everett Rogers. I finally finished his
diffusion class this afternoon. Anyway, the whole point of my paper was
to connect memetics, evolutionary psychology and diffusion studies all
together in one big "consiliated" glob. The fit is definitely there and
the data? ooooboyz I'm tellin ya. There are great big stinking slabs of
data just waiting to be recontorted by some ambitious memeticist.
His theory, though data laden, could really use some support. What I
sense is that memetics would stand to gain some empirical strength and
Rogers' diffusion theory would gain theoretical depth. That's my quick
and dirty impression.
scott
>Speaking of making memetics a more "heavy-weight" science, what are >your thoughts on the possible merging of memetics and diffussion >studies? This seems like a natural pairing that might help produce >some of the hard data that memetics, on its own, is so sadly lacking.
>(And BTW, I don't remember if it was here on JoM or on lucifer.com, but
>whoever recommended Everett M. Rogers _Diffussion of Innovations_, >thank you! It is a wonderful complement to the study of memetics and >points the way to a better understanding of the manner and rates at >which ideas propigate through a culture.)
>Is memetics a subset of diffusion studies? Or are they simply two >joined sets with a great deal of overlap?
>-Tim Rhodes
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