From: Steven W. Kaeser <steve@konsulting.com>
Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 09:53:05 -0500
Fwd Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 10:45:05 -0500
Subject: Aliens and Memes (was: Re: Art Bell - Friday,


>From: Greg Sandow <gsandow@prodigy.net>
>To: UFO UpDates - Toronto <updates@globalserve.net>
>Subject: Re: Art Bell - Friday, January 8/9
>Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 18:33:51 -0500

>>From: Scott Ribordy <sdr@ns.net>
>>To: UFO UpDates - Toronto <updates@globalserve.net>
>>Subject: Re: Art Bell - Friday, January 8/9
>>Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 04:15:29 GMT

>>Do you feel that you or Mr. Hopkins should "pay a price" for
>>propagating the alien abduction meme and all the associated harm
>>that it causes?

>What harm would that be? Please give details, with supporting
>evidence.

>("Meme" -- not found in the Merriam-Webster Third International
>Dictionary, the standard unabridged dictionary in the United
>States, or even in the unabridged Oxford English Dictionary,
>first edition, which lists every word ever known to be used in
>the language. I did find it, though, in the Shorter Oxford
>Dictionary, based on the OED but more up to date. "Meme" --
>biological term. An element of a culture or system of behavior
>that may be consider to be passed from one individual to another
>by non-genetic means, especially imitation." Nice swipe, Mr. R.
>Now prove it.)


Greg-

I use the phrase "meme" when describing the alien image that has
become a standard, but it isn't a term that many are familiar
with.  I think you'll find that your definition is somewhat
abridged.

For a listing of sites where you can gather information on
memetics, you can visit:


http://www.yahoo.co.uk/Social_Science/Psychology/Disciplines/Social_Psychol
ogy/Memetics/index.html

>From that page you can venture out to a number of sites that express many
points of view regarding "memes" and their impact.  For a number of short
definitions offered by several researchers you can go to :


http://maxwell.lucifer.com/virus/alt.memetics/what.is.html

or for a more in depth description you can visit:


http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/MEMIN.html

====================

For what it's worth, I don't think that Bud Hopkins, or any
other researcher, should pay a price for their honest research.
But, IMO, the alien image has become a "meme" in our society and
has become a universal symbol that conveys meaning, just as an
image of the devil and German swastika do.

Steve