on 3/30/00 7:45 PM, Robert G. Grimes at [log in to unmask] wrote:

> Another interesting thing about right and left brain (hemisphere) functions is
> the
> interesting relationship with speech problems as compared to poetry or music.
Was it Oliver Sachs who wrote about the guy with Tourette's who found relief
from, and an outlet for, his condition in jazz drumming? Apparently the
neuromotor condition that drove him to shout out obscenities uncontrollably
and exhibit the other Tourette's tics, also impelled his sense of rhythm. He
would actually go OFF his Tourette's meds before a gig so he would really be
"out there" for the show. Amazing stuff.
> Well, these are some interesting things related to that subject that
> interested me
> and helped me understand folks and the subject matter...  Memetics is closely
> related to all of this although we are not at all entirely sure how it is and
> there
> is great disagreement. But most do think that memes are the equivalent of
> "social
> genes" and are responsible for a great deal of the formation of our cultures.
> It is
> tempting to attribute similar properties to memes as we do genes, this was the
> manner in which Richard Dawkins first described them in 1976, as sort of
> purveyors
> of culture that evolved and reproduced, spreading themselves amongst folks and
> causing changes in beliefs and behavior, etc.  Religions might be thought of
> as meme
> complexes, etc.
"Screaming meme" complexes, in my book. Nyuk, nyuk.

Hey, Robert, what think you of the latest shootout at the I'm OK, You're OK
Corral, over the book that argues that rape is genetic? It seems to be
receiving unremittingly harsh reviews (though FAIR thinks otherwise), but
Steven Pinker thinks it's great, and Chomsky thinks Pinker is great. (Pinker
was one of his students, I think.) So on a seat of the pants, degrees of
separation basis, an admirer of Chomsky might wonder just how valid the
harshest criticisms are. It certainly lends itself to being pigeonholed as
the Bell Curve of the gender wars, though I have not noticed anyone using it
to argue for a return to the chador. Me, I don't have enough knowledge to
judge. Can you help?

--
Tresy Kilbourne
Seattle WA