Re: Meme: A call for help

Dan Fabulich (dfab@cinenet.net)
Mon, 20 Jan 1997 17:14:00 -0800


My, quite a discussion we've got going here...

As I've said, I totally agree with those of you who have pointed out the
merits of logic and the flaws in dogmatism. The problem that I'm
pondering is this: if we're right, and rationalism is so much better
than dogmatism, then why haven't we beaten it already? My concern is
that despite our intelligence, we've somehow grossly miscalculated our
advantage. As far as I can see it, reason should ALREADY be the status
quo, due to the advantages that we've already listed. I don't mean that
it ethically ought to be the law of the land, but rather, due to its
generally agreed upon memetic fitness, its strengths should already have
surpassed the weaknesses of the oppressor.

However, as we're all aware, we're NOT in charge, at least not yet. The
memes which should be dead aren't: The Bible is the most widely
published text on Earth, intellectualism is shunned as "bullshit," and
good ideas are withering at the hands of the devotedly closed minded.
This is incomprehensible to me; there doesn't seem to be a memetic basis
for this data... UNLESS the worst is true and the dogma is indeed far
stronger than our understanding of memetic biology would allow it.

I guess my question isn't "How can we win?" but rather, "Why haven't we
won?"

-He who laughs last thinks slowest-
dAN