The Art of Memetics - Pirate edition

[Cain]

Within the semiotic code of language, abstract words are actually descriptors of recognized patterns. If one has already been exposed to a complete pattern, then exposure to an incomplete pattern will cause the brain to complete the loop. If one does not know the complete pattern, then exposure to the partial pattern will trigger an effect that Russian psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik identified. The "Zeigarnik Effect" is how an incomplete pattern never fully drops into one's unconscious but remains free-floating in the preconscious mind.


Narrative is a primary pattern of the neurology of conscious thought. It is a pattern of linear causative relations that is particularly compelling once it is recognized.


When we say that someone believes something, what we are saying is that they act as if that something is true. If the topic related to that thing arises, they express their belief in the veracity of the thing. When a situation affected by that belief arises, they take actions which are consistent with that belief.


If a person encounters fragments of a consistent whole in separate places as separate experiences the pattern recognizing action of the brain will most likely identify the consistency of the material as a series of discrete parts to be assembled into a whole. Modular narratives, relying on discontinuity to heighten the audience's tension, are as of this writing beginning to become a trend in advertising, because of the implications of the "Zeigarnik Effect."


So long as a person has a part of the puzzle that needs completion, the "Zeigarnik Effect" will spur that person on to locate the missing pieces


Things that place one under stress have survival significance to older physiological systems, which is why experiences that are paired with stress are imprinted more strongly into the preconscious mind. As a result, bonds formed in the face of stress are more intense. As long as our responses to stress are fixed and predictable anyone aware of this can direct us like puppets.


The hardest lesson to learn is being able to let go, relax, and anticipate transformation. Ultimately, the recognition that the world is already always changing is vital to actually changing the world in your favor. The world is a process in motion. Some changes may not be immediately possible but changing the world to engineer that possibility, keeping in mind that every action you take is compounded by time to influence the pressure you exert.


Understanding your objective and focusing on it, explaining it to others in your social network, and allowing that interaction to guide you will inevitably lead you to where you need to be. Kurt Vonnegut tells us that 'you are what you pretend to be', but more accurately the phrase should be you become what you do. Pretending is acting as if something is true and it is that acting that is imprinted into the preconscious and unconscious mind over time.


Understanding the impact a role can have on an identity as that identity moves forward through time is an essential tool in triggering self-transformation, as well as watching out for signs of personality seepage. Neurolinguistic programming is based in many ways around the concept of modeling a role to cause changes in behaviors, but not all changes are desirable. Being aware of the potential of self-change before engaging in a role, and understanding that the longer a role is engaged in, the longer-lasting the effect of that role on one's personality is essential to effective self-actualization.


We have access to an overwhelming array of information that can help us, but at the same time the burden of evaluating this information lies heavily upon us. We now pick and choose among the signals that reach us, and in fact must do so because the contradictory signals we receive create their own kinds of stress. Understanding all the ways in which one lacks control over one's existence allows for compensation, starting within one's consciousness and moving into the greater social group in which one is embedded.

[Cain]

I'm going to keep posting notes until we get some sort of discussion going.



What appears to be occurring is that there is now a creation of two classes, those for whom the information glut is liberating, and those whom it controls35. But while the signals teaching people how to empower themselves exist, the messages of conformity and limitation are more plentiful and subsequently more adapted toward hegemony. For those who dive in and navigate the information can see the structures that manipulate it, while those who would drown if they went below the surface remain the 'led'.


We are embedded in a sea of memetic content, this content is determined now by the collective pool of individuals more now than ever before, and people have more control over what memes they are exposed to as a result. This also means that people can cocoon themselves in media that confirms their pre-existing biases, and this is where fractal notions of self-similarity in memetic construction can smuggle across new energy; mimic an outer layer and create an entrainment by properly encoded semantic value and any stagnate memetic ecology will rapidly mutate. To do this properly takes both skill and experience, yet thanks to the interconnected nature of daily life, we all now have relatively equal potential to initiate such a catalyst. All the information we need to accomplish anything already exists and for the most part is already available to us.


If the only world people know is the story told after the fact then changing the story changes their world. Changing people's worlds also changes what they do. This obviously gives the storyteller immense power, and put into practice this falls under the idea of a hypertext.


Memes are at the conversion point where the flow of desire transforms into actions taken. They attach themselves to the needs/desire and motivate action. All memes contain an action for someone to carry out. Many times that action will be further spreading the meme but other times it will include other actions such as voting for a candidate or buying a product.


What component will have the most influence on the outcome of an interaction depends on what cyberneticists call requisite variety. Requisite variety is the number of options available to the component as a response to an input. The component, and therefore the person, with the most options available are at a distinct advantage in an interaction.


There are three points in the response process that we can concentrate on increasing our variety in a useful way. We can work on our inputs, our processing, or our output. If we choose to concentrate on our input than what we would do is increase the subtlety of the distinctions we make. We would work on increasing the number of patterns we recognize. If we concentrate on our output then we increase the number of responses we can make. Increase the subtlety of our output and learn new ways of expressing ourselves. Finally, we can work on our processing. This is perhaps the most difficult to do. What you would want to do with the processing is to arrange the connections between the input and the best possible output in relation to it.


Memes can be transmitted through inimitable behaviors, and when presented with complimentary framing, there is an emotional transference from frame to meme that occurs beneath the awareness of the average individual.


Second Life is a system for meeting and interacting with acquaintances while World of Warcraft is a system for forming guilds and raiding parties, not to mention exploration, character development, and an open-ended, yet expansive narrative. While some people are fascinated with SL, a lot more people are addicted to WoW. Encountering and enduring stress together in a shared modality is a way to create bonds between people, be that modality a job, a virtual space, a group activity, an audience... any space in which all the participants are equally (or believed to be equally) engaged within the same modality.

[LMNO]

Dammit, I'm still trying to keep up!

[Cain]

Tell me about it.  I'm reading the book and I'm just getting around to synthesizing the ideas, let alone coming up with anything resembling a sensible reply.

[Cain]

BUMP!

Joesph Matheny has a podcast on this book and the general topic, for your listening pleasure

http://www.alterati.com/gspot/thegspot_30.mp3

[Cramulus]

BUMP!

Joesph Matheny has a podcast on this book and the general topic, for your listening pleasure

http://www.alterati.com/gspot/thegspot_30.mp3

Podcast was kind of meh.

They started off talking about the book, and did for a few minutes, but the asinine show host kept derailing the conversation to talk about how ebook piracy affects book sales. He also cut two or three commercials for his show / website right into the dialogue. Really annoying.

But the Grey Lodge cats were really cool to listen to. They're (as one might predict) quite well spoken. It's just too bad they didn't get to talk about the book more.

One funny moment was where one of the writers mentioned that (in the print edition of the book) there's a "shoutout" on page 23 acknowledgement 23.. and he wouldn't say whom he was shouting-out to, but you can figure that out on your own.

heheheh - I wonder how many lunatic freak cultures identify with the number 23, and who thought that part was talking about them. Good memetics. 

[Triple Zero]

One funny moment was where one of the writers mentioned that (in the print edition of the book) there's a "shoutout" on page 23 acknowledgement 23.. and he wouldn't say whom he was shouting-out to, but you can figure that out on your own.

yeah i caught that. didn't even notice it was on page 23, but seeing "hodgepodge²³" appear in a text will get my attention, yeah

[Jasper]

Saved to gdocs for further review and dissemination.