From: Lyle Burkhead (lybrhed@earthlink.net)
Date: Wed Mar 31 1999 - 23:27:51 MST
Dan Fabulich writes,
> I'm not familiar with that abbreviation. What's the ur-meme?
The Random House Dictionary says ur is "a combining form meaning earliest,
original, used in words denoting the primal stage of a historical or
cultural entity or phenomenon."
For example, linguists have tried to reconstruct the original Indo-European
language, the ur-language which gave rise to all modern Indo-European
languages.
The ur-meme refers to the first meme that became aware of itself as a meme
in competition with other memes; the first one that appeared in the form of
a book that instructed its readers to read it, teach it to their children,
build a community around it, and propagate it everywhere; the first one
that incorporated the idea of one unique God (or one unique reality); the
first one that introduced the idea of a messiah who would renew the world.
This original meme has since mutated into many forms, some of which are
secular and have no obvious connection to their source. But most of them
have the idea of a messiah, whether it be Jesus, Lenin, John Galt, or the
AI that will emerge from our computers and save us from ourselves.
When I mentioned the ur-meme, I expressed myself in a deliberately
elliptical fashion, hoping that Eliezer would get my drift and no one else
would ask for an explanation. But Dan did ask, and I am writing this
because he asked a fair question and deserves an answer. However, I never
intended to return to the list. I promised myself two years ago that I
would never again get into a desultory e-mail discussion where people come
and go and the discussion drifts from thread to thread, aimlessly.
A few days ago it came to my attention that some nit-brained newbie had
mentioned my name with disrespect, and I thought I had better make a
comment. Now that that’s done, I am going to keep my promise to myself. I
note that Billy has started a new thread about Geniebusters. I have no
intention of getting into a flame war with him. If anyone on the list
cares enough about the calibration meme to defend it, fine. If not, that’s
fine too. The calibration meme will find its way in the world on its own
merit. I’m going to get back to work.
One final note to Eliezer: if you spent your time writing software instead
of reading the Extropian list, you wouldn’t have to worry about raising
money.
Lyle
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