The Virian Lexicon

A-D     E-H     I-L     M-P     Q-T     U-Z

U to Z

UNDERSTAND:(vl) To understand a system is to possess a conceptual model that can be used to accurately predict the behaviour of the system. A deep understanding entails understanding the components of the system.

UTISM: UTism is short for 'us-versus-them-ism.' Dogmatic adherence to a belief system can create an 'us vs. them' mentality in the believer. The 'us' group consists of people who share our beliefs, and the 'them' group consists of those who hold conflicting beliefs. (KMO)

VACCIME: (pron. vak-seem) Any meta-meme which confers resistance or immunity to one or more memes, allowing that person to be exposed without acquiring an active infection. Also called an `immuno-meme.' Common immune-conferring memes are "Faith", "Loyalty", "Skepticism", and "tolerance". (See: meme-allergy.) (GMG.)
Every scheme includes a vaccime to protect against rival memes. For instance:

• Conservatism: automatically resist all new memes.
• Orthodoxy: automatically reject all new memes.
• Science: test new memes for theoretical consistency and(where applicable) empirical repeatability; continually re-assess old memes; accept schemes only conditionally, pending future re:-assessment.
• Radicalism: embrace one new scheme, reject all others.
• Nihilism: reject all schemes, new and old.
• New Age: accept all esthetically-appealing memes, new and old, regardless of empirical (or even internal) consistency; reject others. (Note that this one doesn't provide much protection.)
• Japanese: adapt (parts of) new schemes to the old ones.

VECTOR: A medium, method, or vehicle for the transmission of memes. Almost any communication medium can be a memetic vector. (GMG)

VILLAIN VS. VICTIM: An infection strategy common to many meme-complexes, placing the potential host in the role of Victim and playing on their insecurity, as in: "the bourgeoisie is oppressing the proletariat" (Hofstadter). Often dangerously toxic to host and society in general. Also known as the "Us-and-Them" strategy. (See UTism.)

VIRIAN:(vl) Of or relating to the Church of Virus.

VIRION:(vl) 1. The infectious unit of a virus. 2. (capitalized) A carrier of the Virus meme-complex. (neologism due to Duane Hewitt.)

ZERO SUM GAME:(vl) A game in which there is a loser for every winner. e.g. chess, football, Monopoly.

Share-Right (S), 1990, by Glenn Grant, PO Box 36 Station H, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 2K5. (You may reproduce this material, only if your recipients may also reproduce it, you do not change it, and you include this notice [see: threat]. If you publish it, send me a copy, okay?)