virus: Memetic Evolution

Reed Konsler (konsler@ascat.harvard.edu)
Fri, 7 Feb 1997 12:03:47 -0500


>From: David Rosdeitcher <76473.3041@compuserve.com>
>Date: 06 Feb 97 13:02:21 EST
>Subject: virus: Re: Memetic Evolution
>
>Putting up the FAQ about Neo-Tech and the statistics about objectivism is still
>just attacking my memes and not my ideas...This is sort of like a chess game of
>infinite combinations, and anything I say or anything you say would have a
>counter.It would be limiting to get caught up within 64 squares. I might leave
>this list soon.

Before you leave, I have question. Have you ever thought that this
adversarial/conflict approach you take toward philosophy might be limiting
you? I mean, maybe we could all just have a conversation, throw out a few
ideas, and then go home. It seems to me you are confused: you know that
your ideas are "right" but you can't quite get this measage across to the
people on this list. Everything you say has a counter. Discussion is
getting nowhere. There's no consensus, no truth, only...

...darkness.

A bit melodramitc? I mean no offense, in fact I identify strongly with
your frustration. I feel that same inability to properly express in word
the "truth" which I know in my head...and when I get caught up in the words
and counter-arguments I become very tired and confused. And I'm doing this
at work...it's quite disconcerting to have an unresolved (able?) argument
about the nature of truth and reality and then try to analyze chemistry
experiments.

But isn't this the point? I mean, forget about preaching...here you get a
golden opportunity to pick trough other peoples brains, to try to
understand how they think, and how we all interact. That's memetics.

I mean, why does memetics always have to be about WAR? Why does this have
to be a church where we are all proselytizing? I propose the paradigm of
"Art Studio". These are the ideas I choose to present today...not the
ultimate expression of my potential as a thinker. And perhaps through
discussion we can each become better artists than we might have been
before. This doesn't mean you have to take everyone'e suggestions...but
does it hurt to listen?

Memetics is a non-zero sum game, or else Humans would not plague the planet so.

Reed

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Reed Konsler konsler@ascat.harvard.edu
---------------------------------------------------------------------