Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.19980826181022.01134254@popmail.mcs.net>
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 18:10:22 -0500
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
From: Aaron Lynch <aaron@mcs.net>
Subject: Re: Structure of facts and opinions
In-Reply-To: <021f01bdd12d$22632ba0$3970cacc@lil--elvis>
Tim Rhodes wrote:
>[snip]
>>On the other hand, there *are* scientists who read
>>science newsgroups, and they have seen your crossposts mixing science
>>newsgroups with alt.seduction.fast.
>
>So you read alt.seduction.fast for the science, eh, Aaron? Yeah, I know how
>it can be. And I read Playboy for the articles too.
No, I had never even heard of alt.seduction.fast until I read Richard
Brodie's crossposts that carried alt.secuction.fast in the header along
with science newsgroups such as alt.memetics. It was by reading
alt.memetics that I found out about this. In addition to imparting bad
impressions of memetics, the crossposts also disrupted scientific
discussions by attracting the attention of a purveyor of "speed seduction"
tapes, whose method was to go around sexually flaming non-customers. He was
insinuating that anyone who did not buy his tapes was "not getting it."
That man did, however, write a very nice endorsement for Virus of the Mind,
which I learned about from a woman who does not like VOTM or
alt.seduction.fast.
>[snip]
>>Another pitfall of mixed marketing arises in your negative impression
>>of professors. There is an implication in Virus of the Mind (p. 72) that
>>professors are only out to protect their jobs.
>Our own Bruce Edmonds recently noted in a paper to the Journal regarding
>selection criteria for memetic models: "For this reason the application of
>stringent selection processes (that are relevant to the survival of the
>field as opposed to relevant to only the survival of academics and their
>constructs) is vital."
>
>Would you make a similar accusation here, for a similar impression is given
>by this quote as well?
Anyone in any field can *admonish* colleages to pay extra attention to the
quality of their product versus mere self-preservation. Edmonds' remarks
are just such a positive admonishment, rather than a negative stereotyping
of professors or other professionals.
>If you want to find fault in Richard, simply note the fact that he cannot
>write a post (to any list) without including plug for his book and that this
>becomes tiresome after a while.
>
>But as they say, "The nice thing about an egotist is, at least they don't go
>around taking about other people." :-)
I'd say that the egotist going by the name "MemeGenius@aol.com" did quite a
bit of flaming of other people. Thankfully, the "MemeGenius" posts have
stopped. It would be nice if the alt.seduction.fast posts permanently stop
too, or at least stop crossposting into science groups.
--Aaron Lynch
http://www.mcs.net/~aaron/thoughtcontagion.html
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