virus: Re: Future man, immortality and memes
Bill Godby (wgodby@sun.tir.com)
Thu, 28 Mar 1996 00:31:48 -0500
Personally I like the idea of death and mortality. The idea of death and
finality has an effect that is essential to human character. The idea of
beginning and end are comforting and they are necessary. How many works
of art, literature, music, etc. have been created out of the recognition
that life is temporal? This is the great thing about it, you here now
and you are given the opportunity to participate in whatever way you
choose. Regarding meaning, those who recognize the "meaning" of life
recognize that there is no "meaning". Joesph Campbell in addressing this
question asks "what's the meaning of a flower", illustrating how strange
the question is. Of course you could answer that the meaning of the
flower is to pollenate, relating this to previous discussions regarding
genes and evolution. If we find comfort in immortality why not consider
memetic immortality. We all contribute in one way or another to the
"meme pool", some more significantly than others. When you consider
someone like Charlie Parker, or Plato for that matter, it's clear that
both have achieved a very realistic immortality through there
ideas/memes. I like the idea of my own mortality, it's challenging. I
have no desire to live forever in any realm, and other than the comfort
it seems to bring to consider an idealized otherworldly existence it's
not a very useful concept. Be here now.
--
Bill Godby
wgodby@tir.com