Re: Memetic AIDS (was Re: virus: a tangent)

Dave Pape (davepape@dial.pipex.com)
Wed, 19 Mar 1997 19:51:18 GMT


At 04:12 19/03/97 +0000, Tony/David McF wrote:

>>What types of memetic infection would cause the equivalent of immuno-
>>deficiency syndrome? Perhaps ideas like:
>>
>>- If lots of people believe it, it must be true.
>>- If its been around for ages (tradition) there must be something to it.
>>- X makes my life (worth living, more interesting, etc.) so it must be valid.
>>- If I can't imagine it, it must not be true.
>>- Anecdotal evidence is good evidence.
>>- We don't currently understand it so it must be mystical or beyond
>>comprehension.
>>- Mystery is good.
>>- It is a virtue to believe something without evidence.
>>- Everything is (relative, contextual, subjective) therefore nothing is
>> intrinsically better than anything else.
>>- I create reality (solipsism).
>>
>>These are just a few ideas off the top of my head (definitely open to
>>criticism). Any others?
> Newspapers always print the truth.
> My judgement is not as good as others'
> My judgement is the best ever.
> If there's no evidence it's been hidden from us.
> People always speak the truth.
> I have got 5 minutes to live.

He's really clever
She's an expert
(S)he's really successful
I see this idea everywhere
I fancy/want to be friends with him/her
(S)he's done me a big favour/helped me out in the past
I'm eaten a huge bunch of trips and my eyes have melted

Dave Pape
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