Re: virus: Level 3

Dave Pape (davepape@dial.pipex.com)
Sun, 9 Feb 1997 22:17:13 GMT

At 09:06 09/02/97 -0800, Richard wrote:
>Dave Pape wrote:
>
>>I think that I get flashes of what Richard would describe as level-3
>>processing, moments when memes compatible with Richard's "level-3"
>>memes are
>>dominant over their competitors in my memetic ecology.
>
>Level 3 is a mode of consciousness, not a meme. Well, it is a meme, of
>course, but that's not the point.

Memetic translation:

"Level 3" is a non-memetic concept. [THERE ARE NONE, at least no culturally
transmitted ones] Well, it is memetic, but please stop activating memes
resonant with that.

>>Furthermore, I don't think Richard himself "processes at level 3" for a
>>very
>>high percentage of the time. His postings sometimes mention words like
>>"absolutely", and make flat statements about things, rather than saying
>>that
>>they are memes which at that time are dominant over their competitors
>>in his
>>memetic ecology.
>
>You may notice that I choose my words very carefully. I think this is
>more common at Level 3, though certainly not absent at Level 2.
>Level-2'ers just tend to have a smaller repertoire.

So? Level 3 could be level 2 thinking, but using level 2 concepts as INPUT
rather than as OUTPUT. I dunno. We can only really have this argument when
I've read your book. Mind you, I did have a few problems with the first
chapter...

>>I think that "level 3" memes may well be dominant a higher percentage
>>of the
>>time in Richard's memespace than in mine, because he /works/ in
>>memetics,
>>whereas I work in food distribution.
>
>When you stop trying to rationalize Level 3's existence or
>non-existence, then you can start to get there.

I will NEVER stop trying to analyse level 3 in terms of memes. Until I give
up the idea of memetics itself. Tough. I suspect I get flashes of what you'd
refer to as "level 3 thinking", just as you yourself do. I think that you
don't actually talk much more objectively than other contributors to the
list. And I'm being aggressive, because I'm about to spend =A322 on your=
book,
you stubborn young geezer.

Dave Pape
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D
If you mapped memespace onto a 2D plane, then made a 3-D graph with
Activation Level as the vertical axis, and animated shots of the graph over
time, it'd look like the progress of some crazy Hokusai ocean.

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