From time to time, even vortexians comment about such off-topic
subjects as "emergence" and "memes" ... and it turns out that they
may "resemble those remarks" ...
This article in the "Register" is 'beyond funny' ... even beyond
ROTFL ... and not in the normal idiosyncratic English way... at
least to this reader - even down to the name of the writer. Not to
mention the date.
The title is: Boffins isolate 'blogging gene'
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/04/01/boffins_isolate_blogging_gene/
and for non-Anglophiles, a "boffin" is a scientific expert:
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/boffin
Not to mention, the "Boffin" (of Tolkien) are a prominent hobbit
family... and better yet... from the region of Yale (in the
Eastfarthing ;-)
Which is probably why the degree of respect, extrapolated from
using "boffin," at least in some cases and for some wry Brits, may
be approximated by their slang term for psychiatrist... (trick
cyclist). Anyway, on to the piece-du-jour:
It's Emergent, It's Adaptive - It's GMT
By Meme De Chose
Published 1st April, 2004
Comics have joked for ages that humans will eventually adapt to
technology: growing nimbler thumbs for text messaging, or larger
ears to compensate for poor signal reception. But in a remarkable
breakthrough, scientists believe they have isolated the gene
responsible for one specific kind of computer activity - and the
race is on to commercialize it.
It's an adaptive, emergent property - and is sure to ignite the
Nature versus Nature debate once again. Biologists believe they
have found the genetic adaptation responsible for 'weblogging'.
The discovery may take the form of what Stephen Jay Gould
identified as a 'spandrel' a previous adaptation for which
evolution had found no previous use.
Such claims have been made before, and have a dubious history.
Late Victorian England was convulsed by the sensation of the
"Hemel Hempstead Three". Three men - two of them brothers - had
all developed extremely long legs - and all were Penny Farthing
enthusiasts. The story was later proved to be a hoax.
"It's all about me-me"
Professor Teilhard, who holds the Poindexter Chair of Physics at
the University of Santa Fe's Department of Extropian Studies, says
that weblogging performs a harmless social function.
"Webloggers are born not made," he said. "And shouldn't be
persecuted." The activity could be a positive, group-bonding
social function such as grooming, or simply a harmless way of
passing the time, such as masturbation.
Microsoft has employed over 400 webloggers in the hope of
producing the elusive breakthrough, but now the race is on to find
a commercial use for the discovery. Or any sort of use. Teilhard's
breakthrough wasn't achieved overnight, and by interpreting some
phenomena too literally, his team was led down several blind
alleys. END of quoted text.
... and more. Worth a read to start your weekend off on a light
not.
