Re: Scary Tetris Tales

D.L. Richardson (002134r@DRAGON.ACADIAU.CA)
Fri, 22 Mar 1996 02:49:18 -0400

> > 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?

Er, none of the above. I think it's the fact that the whole theory is
so philosophically/theoretically untenable. Yeah, that's probably it.

Problem #1: ideas are not, under any circumstances, *life forms*. Viruses
are. Ideas are not.
Problem #2: viruses do not depend upon other life forms for their creation.
Ideas *do*.
Problem #3: memetics oversimplifies a) evolutionary theory b) the human
mind c) human culture d) human cultural dissemination e) pretty much
anything it addresses.

In short I think the whole theory, while an interesting metaphor (thanks
Greg), is, in general, just crap. Anyone who has studied biological
theory, philosophy, social theory, or psychology just looks at it and
(essentially) says, "Heh, yeah, right." And shakes it off as drivel.

My major problem with it (other than the fact that *I* think it's
crap) is that so many other people think it's crap.

Sorry if I sound a little vehement in my opinions. I've had a rough day.

- Deb

--
==============================================================================
    Debra L. Richardson - 002134r@dragon.acadiau.ca - HBA Soci & English
                     http://dragon.acadiau.ca/~002134r/
==============================================================================