Re: virus: META: a rule for the list

Sodom (sodom@ma.ultranet.com)
Sat, 18 Oct 1997 11:15:37 -0400

Brett Lane Robertson wrote:
>
> Perhaps avoiding
> contadictory beliefs is a biological adaptation to prevent dhesitation
> in times of danger. Perhaps the idea is to override this adaptation - as
> there is no immediate danger - and explore the mental effects that
> result?
>
> Sodom
> Bill Roh
>
> Sounds good!
>
> I would also say that the indoctrination of a subject with conflicting
> beliefs has the effect of "brainwashing" that person. It strips the
> individuality--and is used in the military, for example, to destroy a
> person's "will". The result is that the person becomes a good
> "follower"...can take in outside information without evaluating it and act
> on it instantaneously.
>
> The flip side of this indoctrination is that a person becomes, in turn, a
> good leader (perhaps) having understood the mechanisms of being a follower.
> At least in military situations, there seems to be a mature level of this
> phenomenon such that the person who, as a new recruit, was responsive to
> outside information without personal interference becomes a model of
> leadership?!?
>
> I can imagine the benefits of being able to take in information without
> ordering it (seemingly contradictory information). Such a person would be
> like a sponge as regards information. Though, for the most part, I agree
> that a conscious response (without self-conflict) would seem superior to one
> dictated by an outside source.
>
> It seems that over-riding an adaption to avoid contradictory information
> would be a social adaption for the sacrifice of the individual to the social
> organism.
>
> Brett
>
> Returning,
> rBERTS%n
> Rabble Sonnet Retort
> Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence.
>
> H. L. Mencken
>

Brett,
This one rocks, The military analogy is excellent. The last paragraph
gives me an idea about the "Social Organism". In another thread, we were
trying to decide if we should study memes on the group, or individual
level. What is a social group acts like a single brain, and an entirely
different large meme now exists. Maybe like cells in the brain, people
in a group form a legitimate "group mind" with it's own own will
external to that of the individuals. (pretty metaphysical for me)

Sodom