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evolving cultures ?
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· · · · · · A E C F O R U M - "M E M E S I S" · · · · ·
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Hi Simon,
Thanks for your review of the status of the the memesis discussion.
Perhaps if the question had been spcifically about whether human culture can
be evolutionary, which I for one, would love to discuss, we wouldn't have
gotten so bogged down trying to define the term "memesis" and wade through
paper after paper on what that could, would, might, and did once, mean!
After a lot of that, some of us ceased to care!
Or perhaps it was after the barrage of exceess verbiage!
How many correspondents really came to the point in a reasonable number of
paragraphs?
How many of us had or have the time for so much stuff that was and is beside
the point? I bet most of us saved this material for (hopefully) later
reading.
Now, when I look at human evolution... I see a pattern that remains the same
throughout the ages, yet changes in seemingly revolutionary ways. Such as
from tribal isolation to the global village and from earthbound to solar
system bound etc. Or from killing one another with great effort and personal
risk to automated, impersonal apocalypse.
The arts seem to always reflect cultural concerns: from cosmic mysteries and
earthy spirituality to fragmentation and dissonance.
I has seemed to me that cosmic mysteries are due for a revival as a subject
among artists; even Joseph Campbell thought that the future of our myths
would lie in that direction.
A cataclysmic build and destroy cycle seems prevalent. It is probably hubris
to think that we could evolve beyond that. Perhaps the truth has become a bit
much for the arts?
Probably so; I see that in my own work vs. my personal experience
relationship. It is now easier to make art about art than about many of the
other realities that surround us. And safer.
Sort of like theorizing about terminology that was extremely obscure to most
of us.
There are many very interesting discussions going on. The best ones are those
that come to the point, a well defined point at that!
Keep it on track!
Josepha Haveman, Berkeley
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