> Tim,
>
> It's tough to argue with someone who lives in paradise and does the work he
> loves. In my mind results speak, and so I respect your life and what you
> have to say. Nevertheless, the topic you are discussing is so critically
> important that I feel compelled to respond, even if I am, as I suspect,
> unable to come near to completely answering your distaste for anything whose
> rational basis is not immediately apparent. I also am fully behind you in
> what I see as an effort to expose muddy thinking or intellectual dishonesty.
> However, let me make a few points.
>
> Your straw-man description of enlightenment sounds singularly unattractive.
> Are you sure this is what people mean when they talk about enlightenment? To
> me, enlightenment is an order-of-magnitude increase in understanding,
> comprehension of life and reality. This brings with in a commensurate
> increase in personal power and ability. No one is "enlightened";
> enlightenment is a process. The Zen masters said there were at least 18
> major enlightenments available and countless minor ones. If you're arguing
> that there is no such thing as growth in understanding, I expect you would
> have trouble defending that pint of view to anyone else. If you're arguing
> that people who pursue personal growth are snobs, I would certainly have to
> disagree in my personal experience; academics are far more snobbish and
> closed-minded.
>
> Your warning against building a thought-prison on top of a rock-solid
> personal philosophy is exactly what I mean by Level 2, so there we are in
> complete agreement.
>
> And as for your question, is this the best use I could find for memes, as
> camouflage for enlightenment? The answer is yes. I can think of no greater
> mission that to raise the consciousness of as many human beings as I can
> while there is still time.
The Buddhsts have been pursuing this goal for centuries. Do you
share their meme? Joe
> What better use did you have in mind? Multi-level marketing?
>
> Richard Brodie richard@brodietech.com http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/
> Author, "Virus of the Mind: The New Science of the Meme"
> http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/votm.htm
> Free newsletter! Visit Meme Central at
> http://www.brodietech.com/rbrodie/meme.htm