Re: virus: Memes and Modes

Dave Pape (davepape@dial.pipex.com)
Wed, 26 Mar 1997 21:06:24 GMT


At 11:12 24/03/97 -0700, David McF wrote:
>At 09:14 AM 24/03/97 -0800, Tim Rhodes wrote:
>>
>>On Sun, 23 Mar 1997, David McFadzean wrote:
>>
>>> Don't some modes automatically preclude
>>> others? For instance, if I'm currently operating in mystic-mode (or
>>> perhaps zen-mode), doesn't that preclude being in scientific mode at
>>> that particular time?
>>
>>Not if you can do multi-tasking.
>
>That's what I meant by "being able to switch between modes quickly
>and transparently". What's the difference between multi-tasking and
>being inconsistent?

Interesting little thread this! Switching between modes... don't you get a
refractory period BETWEEN modes? I suppose the trick to minimise the time
spent in this refractory period would just be to practise reciting language
to do with memes of mode A directly followed by memes from mode B, etc.
Forcing memes from different modes to be associated with each other.

I would've thought that multi-tasking meant parallel processing... I'm kind
of into the idea that conscious cognitive processing is simulated sloppy
serial-ish processing emerging from subconscious parallel processing. Hence
why multi-tasking would (I think) be tricky...

BUT if I take your definition of multi-tasking (the quick-as-possible change
between modes), then I reckon the main difference would be one of scale.
Inconsistency is just a smaller-scale memetic dissonance, or rather,
flicking between mini-modes.

Dave Pape
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