> List,
>
> What Celine has noted (preparing the host for impending transmission of a
> meme-complex) I relegate to the second life-cycle of a meme. That is, I
> call the meme-complex the meme proper, and the arrangement which rearranges
> the host the "viral" stage.
>
> To avoid confusion, I am agreeing with Celine. Though, I am wondering if
> Celine has noted the "My God" complex in only one of it's various
> configurations (If Celine has envisioned the viral form and not the meme
> itself).
I like to go by Sandberg, et al.'s model
(http://www.aleph.se/Trans/Cultural/Memetics/memecycle.html). By this
model, there are four steps in the lifecycle of memes; transmission,
decoding, infection, and encoding/spread. The preparatory meme "Oh my
God" operates much like the "Kilroy was here" meme in the above article.
However, as a functional part of the anti-establishment meme-complex,
the "Oh my God" meme serves the end of facilitating the infection of the
host with the actual meme-complex. That is, "Oh my God" is a
self-replicating unit of cultural transmission that weakens a potential
host's immunity to the anti-religion meme. It should be noted that its
effectiveness at weakening the memetic immune system depends on how
strong that immune system is. Some memes are not only infective, but
also aggressively defend their territory with memetic "white blood
cells" such as "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in
vain, lest you go to hell," etc.)
Your description may be inaccurate insofar as the anti-religion meme and
the Oh-my-God meme may replicate one without the other. However,
infection with one does increase the chances you will be infected with
its counterpart.
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