virus: Cult of Personality.

Duane Daniel Hewitt (ddhewitt@acs.ucalgary.ca)
Sun, 10 Sep 1995 10:23:04 -0600 (MDT)


Good memetic engineers should take note about the phenomenon known as a
"Cult of Personality". It is characteristic of almost all mass movements
(I can't think of any exceptions)

It is especially strong in regimes in which the individual is supposed to
be subordinate to the will of society or the will of God. (Communism,
Fascism, Catholicism)

Stalinism is the appropriately named example whereby an extremely
powerful individual serves as a surrogate for the expression of
individuality by the other members of the society.

Fascism is the strain whereby a charismatic leader sells the memetic
snake oil to the masses.

Catholicism is the strain whereby the will of God replaces the will of
society but there still is a requirement for an individual human
representative (Pope) as a stand in.

Paradoxically, even rabid individualists fall prey to this memetic trap
and as an example I would forward Objectivism in which a mass movement of
egoists is led by the compelling fictional writings of Ayn Rand.

The question now arises as to how this should be incorporated into Virus.
Another question arises as to the source of this propensity to seek for a
leader/mentor.

Duane Hewitt