Re: virus: MAIDS

Tim Rhodes (proftim@speakeasy.org)
Sun, 21 Sep 1997 11:57:41 -0700 (PDT)


On Sun, 21 Sep 1997, Tadeusz Niwinski wrote:

> Tim wrote:
> >Glad you asked, Tad.
> >
> >I think that the memes that "control what we do" are a subset of the memes
> >we have stored internally (been exposed to and retained) and that that is,
> >in turn, a subset of the memes we have been exposed to in our environment.
> >
> >Let's introduce some sets then: (Buckle up your seatbelts for some set
> >theory boys and girls)
> >
> > E{m} is the set that contains all memes the individual (here shown
> >as "m") is exposed to.
> >
> > I{m} is the set that contains all memes "m" retains and stores
> >internally. (I use "internally" instead of "in memory" to leave the door
> >open to other forms on storage such as notes or books)
> >
> > A{m} is the set that contains all memes in "m" that "control what
> >we do" or are active in m's personal mindset.
> >
> >I assert that,
> >
> > E{m} > I{m} > A{m}
> >
> >And that there in criteria (or set of criterion) whereby memes are
> >selected from E{m} to become a part of I{m}. And likewise a similar, but
> >my no means equivalent, set of criteria that selects from the set I{m} to
> >generate A{m}. I think these criterion are at the heart of the matter.
> >
> >I have arbitrary named these criteria, without attributing
> >characteristics to them yet, in order to look at their relationships. I
> >have named them:
> >
> > R(x) is the criteria whereby I{m} is selected from E{m} for any
> >meme "x" within E{m}.
> >
> > V(x) is the criteria whereby A{m} is selected from I{m} for any
> >meme "x" within I{m}.
> >
> >Therefore a meme, say <God>, may move from E{m} to I{m} and further be
> >selected into A{m} for one individual, but not for another if their R(x)
> >and V(x) criteria are different.
> >
> >I think the interesting memes are the ones that once they reach A{m}
> >reconfigure R(x) and V(x) to new values. These are the ones that can be
> >said to control the /way/ we think.
> >
> >And I believe some peoples R(x) and V(x) are such that primary among the
> >criteria (still undefined at this point) are the judgment of the perceived
> >effects of a meme upon that criteria. Such that said individual would
> >give high R(x) and V(x) values to memes that show the potential to
> >reconfigure the formulas for R(x) and V(x) in a useful way.
> >
> >Thank you for asking, Tad. This is the subject of a _Mathematics of
> >Memetics_ rant I've been writing off list and I'm glad to be given the
> >opportunity to share. Although I, by no means, would expect or demand an
> >equal level of interest or analysis from you, Tad. This is my personal
> >obsession of late and we are two different people with different
> >obsessions. I don't expect you to have to share the level of interest
> >(R(x)) in this subject that I do, but I do welcome your thoughts on the
> >matter.
>
> Why didn't you say so in the first place?!

No one asked. I felt broken and alone and that my ideas were of little
use to anyone other than myself. Solitary and unwanted, I sat quietly in
an empty room waiting for someone to knock on the door. And then you
knocked...

Thank you for caring, Tad (sniffle).

-Prof. Tim