I've always thought of memes as that *ah-ha* you get when
you understand more about a subject than you did before,
and the way that your behavior changes after that, and
most importantly, the way that other people interpret
that behavior. Sometimes, your behavior changes so that
anyone seeing you behave like that will get a *ah-ha* of
thier own, and then change thier behavior, and so on.
This is just one of the ways that your behavior could
change and how it could change others. Example:
Speeding down the country roads early in the morning, on
my way to the nearest town, I spy a car moving towards me,
from town. As they approach, they flash their brights at
me. This results in me adjusting my speed to the local
limit, and just in time. On the other side of the next hill
is a county sherrif's deputy, sitting in a speed trap. I
continue on my way, realizing the importance of this signal.
Unfortunatly, I do not meet anyone else on the way, and so
am unable to pass on the warning. Later, I discussed the
incident with my brother, and he confirmed that this was
a common in the area, and that he had participated in the
system.
This is a very developed meme, and spreads quite well in
areas where there is little surveilance, such as rural
Kansas. I imagine that the authorities could set up a
hell of a trap for participants if they wanted to: just
set up the speed trap, and have an unmarked car drive
one way and then the other and if anyone flashes their
light, arrest them for that. I think it's illegal to flash
your lights at someone, I'm not sure....
Corey Cook
coreycook@hotmail.com
ps By the way, do you suppose that you could give an
example of your idea of a meme?