RE: virus: ...said the spider to the fly...

Richard Brodie (richard@brodietech.com)
Fri, 5 Mar 1999 09:09:43 -0800

Jake,

You are making a classic mistake in evolutionary psychology theory. Minds have evolved not to host TRUE memes, but to host memes that make them (1) better propagators of those memes and (2) successful reproducers of their genes in the Paleolithic era. Therefore the fact that we are more literate and have more accurate scientific knowledge does not imply that irrational or contrafactual memeplexes will die out.

Do you predict the astrology column in the daily paper being replaced by a quantum mechanics column anytime soon?

Warmly,

Richard "only hot babes can get away with calling me" Brodie

Richard Brodie richard@brodietech.com http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/ Author, "Virus of the Mind: The New Science of the Meme" http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/votm.htm Free newsletter! Visit Meme Central at
http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/meme.htm