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Carpal Tunnel
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Thanks for the explanation, Nancy! I used to watch that show but since missed all "jump the shark" references.
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old hand
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old hand
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Could animals responses to body language be called memes? For instance when I am out walking, and a cat that has never seen me before exhibits anxiety, if I walk around it, the anxiety immediately subsides.
Doc
A meme, as originally defined, was behaviour (or thought), learnt primarily through imitation (in fact Blackmore uses that in its strictest sense and does not consider other forms of learning.
A meme, then, is an 'idea', if you will, that multiplies by inhabiting more and more minds - a successful meme spreads like an epidemic.
eta - so yes, it could be a bit like the hundredth monkey urban myth (and it is a myth). The Salem witch hysteria, for instance (the behaviour of the accusing girls) would definitely be considered memetic. The spread of the use of the word meme itself (since it seems to be infesting the blogs) is also memetic.
Simple response to stimuli (Skinner's pigeons, for instance), even though it can lead to learned behaviour, should not be considered memetic.
Hope this helps.
cheer
the sunshine warrior
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Dear Shanks: I was too much influenced by mention of genes somewhere in the discussion. "If your're not confused, you just don't understand the situation." One experience I had a long time ago might fit. A neighbor whose garden was being robbed by starlings asked me to shoot them. They flew over a small building, behind which I could hide. I shot a couple dozen of them, and then bird started making detour around our property. Five years after the last time I shot one, the starlings were still making the detour around our property. Would that fit? I'm just not able to master some of these lengthy discussions. Thanks for trying to help me. Bill
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OP
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monkey urban myth (and it is a myth)aw shucks, I liked that one. ok, I think I'm beginning to get it. thanks, shanks.
formerly known as etaoin...
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Arright. What's this 'hundredth monkey' thang? I've googled without success and I've gotta get out here and go to work.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Is it the one about the Complete Works of Oxford?
warning: cross-thread
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That was infinite monkeys, IIRC. But hey, a hundred is just an iceberg away from infinity when it comes to monkeys. How many monkeys can dance on the head of a barrel? Edit: Found it. http://www.worldtrans.org/pos/monkey.html
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old hand
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old hand
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Dear Doc
Five years after the last time I shot one, the starlings were still making the detour around our property.
If these are not the same starlings who saw you with the gun, but are simply copying the others, then there's certainly a strong case for calling that memetic activity.
cheer
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