Re: virus: Meme-Virus comparison

David McFadzean (dbm@merak.com)
Thu, 11 May 1995 15:46:41 -0600


At 01:28 PM 5/11/95 -0600, Duane Daniel Hewitt wrote:

>time. A single copy of a meme can infect multiple hosts and give a much
>more complex response due to the interactions of the hosts with one another.

I would say that a single copy of a meme is limited to a single host. When
it spreads to other people, there are multiple copies of the meme. How about
these analogs:

meme = genome
genomeme = gene
phenomeme = organism

The genomeme is a pattern in the host's nervous system (mostly chemical
and energy distrubutions but may be partly physical in the case of hard-
wired instincts). The phenomeme is the effect the pattern has on the
host's behaviour. Given that, is it more correct to say the genomeme
controls the host's behaviour or the phenomeme?

--
David McFadzean                 dbm@merak.com
Memetic Engineer                http://www.merak.com/~dbm/
Merak Projects Ltd.