Re: virus: RE: What does the replicating?

Tom Holz (tom.holz@pobox.com)
Wed, 11 Jun 1997 08:06:58 -0400


> > wait. I imagine a large bowling ball stuck in a small dip, with a
> small
> > rabbit chained to it. together they form a creature. The ball is
> its
> > genes, and the rabbit it's memes. While the ball is slowly rolling,
> the
> > rabbit can scamper in all 360 degree, testing various paths very
> rapidly,
> > but it has very little effect on the genetic state of It.
>
> Eric sez :
>
> You know, I think I like your fuzzy brain. This rabbit and ball
> analogy
> is brilliant! Small question, though. How does level 3 fit in? Does
>
> that correspond to multiple rabbits? If so, does that mean they all
> pull in different directions on the ball and thus slow the bioligical
> evolution, or all combine together and thus speed the genetic
> evolution?

Level 3.. my level 3 distinction memes [proper context?] were not active
when I first concieved of the rabbit and ball analogy. I'm hoping, that
like other usefull metaphors, that I will be able to expand the metaphor
without stretching it. Here goes:

I haven't read The Book yet, so to me, an individual at level 3 is
conciously multi-tasking several memesets, allowing them to be run in
parallel without competition in the normal sense. I think I'm leading
myself to agree with you, but I don't have the proper ideas to expound
correctly. I have yet to read either Conciousness Explained or Virus of
the Mind, and I have seen from several recent posts that I don't have
enough of the basics down to fill this metaphor out like it ought to be.

well, that was a depressing post,
tom, who's now sunk to answering email at work.