Re: virus: Un-natural De-selection

Eric Boyd (6ceb3@qlink.queensu.ca)
Sat, 16 Aug 1997 18:47:57 -0500


Brett Lane Robertson wrote:

> >So do I...However, as I think you pointed out yourself, this is not the
> >place to discuss such things. I very strongly recommend
> >that you join the Evolutionary Theory Mailing List, at
> >http://www.esosoft.com/evolution/ ROBIN
>
> Robin,
>
> No, I did not say any such thing. You are responding to your own internal
> voice (this may sound like a generalization or suggestion that you are not
<snip snip snip>

Brett,

I think you seriously overreacted on this one. Robin did not suggest
you "you leave"... he merely suggested that if you wish to debate
evolution, you go to a group where they debate evolution. You see, we
(or at least I) am not too knowledgable about evolution. Certainly the
people on the list he refered you to would know more than the people
here.

You don't have to leave here to join there, and I doubt that was what
Robin meant.

As well, I always believe that a little personal information (revealing
our *weaknesses*, as you say) is a very good thing. Becuase, Grant, it
is weaknesses -- our imperfections -- that allow us to grow. And
besides, who is scared of revealing weaknesses on this list? Like the
talk about "perfect robots" with but one flaw a while back, we have
decided to mutually ignore, protect, even *fix* our weaknesses. For we
all have them.

Sides, it's good to get to know people. I, for one, have greatly
enjoyed Eva's "statements of state"... it's good to know that a person
exists on the other side, and not a machine or "God".

And as to keeping ourselves closed-minded, as you insinuated at the end,
I think, if that was our goal, we would be stopping people from signing
*on*, rather than trying, with mere words, to send people away. And I
remember something John said a while back about "your presence on this
list *gives* me permission to rock your boat"... the point is, memetics
is such a new *in*your*face* idea that sometimes it's unavoidable.

Science never said truth was beautiful. Sometimes it is, but then
"nature red in tooth and claw"

ERiC