> > From: Damien Broderick <damien@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au>
>
> > At 03:10 PM 1/10/98 -0500, Michael Lorrey wrote:
> >
> > >I also think that the word "cloning" has a negative semantic value.
> > >Pro-cloning people should publicly redefine their position with a much
> > >more acceptable catch phrase, like 'artificial twinning', 'assisted
> > >twinning'
> >
> > Yep, but lose that nasty `artificial' instantly! We all know how hateful
> > `artificial' things are - like dental fillings and cars and clothings...
>
> I read once that a prior Queen of England (Victoria, I believe) went
> to a performance of a play, and afterward, declared the play to be
> "aweful and artificial".
>
> And the playwright was thrilled to hear this praise of his work.
>
> See, "aweful" meant that it filled the observer with awe, and
> "artificial" meant that great skill (artifice) went into the crafting
> of it.
>
> Funny how the language changes.
> >
Or rather, our perceptions of it. I think that the common perceptions about the
meaning of these two words, which were once positive, now have a negative
semantic value precisely because of luddite memes in our culture. I just read
Wired 6.01. Great photo section.
"Change is good"
"Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you beleive
that the future can be better, it's unlikely you will step up and take
responsibility for making it so."
"If you assume that there is no hope, you guarrantee that there will be no
hope."
"If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, there are opportunites to
change things, there's a chance you may contribute to making a better world."
"The choice is yours" - Noam Chomsky
How do we start spreading memes? The easiest way is thus: wear t-shirts &
baseball caps, and put bumperstickers on your car, as well as posters on your
walls at home and in your office/cubicle at work that all have pictures and
simple phrases that are catchy. I am always wearing my PETA baseball hat, (PETA
in my case stands for :"People Eating Tasty Animals") and I get lots of
feedback from people. Take out ads in WIRED and other mags with our messages on
them (yeah that can get pricey).
When are Exi t-shirts with "CHANGE IS GOOD" on them going to be available?
Little things like this can go a long way in the social engineering department.
-- TANSTAAFL!!! Michael Lorrey ------------------------------------------------------------ mailto:retroman@together.net Inventor of the Lorrey Drive MikeySoft: Graphic Design/Animation/Publishing/Engineering ------------------------------------------------------------ How many fnords did you see before breakfast today?