> So, does anyone out there actually think that memetic theory is actually
> valid? I mean, sure, it's an interesting way of looking at cultural
> 'evolution' and dissemination, but...well...isn't it rather philosophically
> untenable? (Not that I could argue coherently against it yet...)
I feel that memetics is a valid division of psychology. The concept of a
meme as a piece of data that moves like a virus is one that is easily
demonstrated, in that everyone on this planet has had an idea in their
head that absolutely would NOT leave if their life depended on it.
Sometimes, a notion will hang out in the forefront of your consciousness
and eat up brainwidth (example: The robot hippo scene in Ace Ventura
II), not unlike one of the early attempts to crash computer systems.
> I did a paper on it for my social theory course a month ago (I got an
> A, yay :) In doing it I really did start with an open mind, but...
> well... I can't put my finger on it, but there's something that strikes
> me as 'wrong' about the whole theory.
How so. What bothers you about the idea? Methods of transmission? The
idea that the human mind, like the body, can become tenaciously
infected? Just the fact that it appeared recently?
> Anyone out there have any comments? It just strikes me as being so...
> 'pop-theory'ish.
As much as I hate to admit it, sometimes pop culture knows what it's
doing sometimes.
Bryce Lynch
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doctor who - del | finger for lousy reason for name/addr. conflict
"Something in the air/treat me like a child/you can lead me on..all night.."
http://www.lm.com/~bryce <--- still under construction!