If the Human Mind was Freed of Thought Viruses

From: anon1fd0@nyx10.cs.du.edu (Name withheld by request)
Newsgroups: alt.memetics
Subject: If the Human Mind was Freed of Thought Viruses, wt. would Happen
Date: 17 Sep 1994 15:19:06 -0600


   What would happen to a mind without memes?  Could it function 
at all?  

   Or would we think and see much more clearly?  

   Is there a complementary mindset or brain physiology or intelligence
level which fits with particular types of memes?  

   That is, if meme X propagates rapidly through society Q, and 80 percent
the society's members are infected, based on an intimate knowledge of
meme X, what can I know about the personality profiles or mindsets or
prevalent paradigms (helper memes?) of the 80 percent of society Q?  


     Thanks for your comments,

        Yours,

         Jon.

Subject: Re: If the Human Mind was Freed of Thought Viruses...
Date: Mon, 19 Sep 1994 18:35:21 GMT


Jon wonders:
>   What would happen to a mind without memes?  Could it function 
>at all?  
>   Or would we think and see much more clearly?  

A meme-free mind is a dead mind (or a zombie's mind perhaps).

But meme-free isn't quite the same as thought-virus free.
(although I must say my opinion on this subject changes every month or so)

When I'm in a cynical mood, I think JESUS had a virus-free mind.  But he 
was definitely not meme-free!  Do you feel the difference?


>   Is there a complementary mindset or brain physiology or intelligence
>level which fits with particular types of memes?  

Most certainly.  Think of maths-memes vs. racist joke-memes: you need a high 
IQ for the former, a low IQ for the latter.
There may be also memes that 'prefer' a female brain physiology or a male 
brain physiology, a child's brain etc.


>   That is, if meme X propagates rapidly through society Q, and 80 percent
>the society's members are infected, based on an intimate knowledge of
>meme X, what can I know about the personality profiles or mindsets or
>prevalent paradigms (helper memes?) of the 80 percent of society Q?  

I'd say they're f**king conformists!
For a serious answer, ask again in 5-10 years.  These are the questions we'd 
like to answer, but it's a long way to go.

++Marc