Your hypothetical person holds themselves as a ‘gene machine’, but their views should further change when you look at humans ‘gene/meme/(tech) machine’.
Animals are gene replicators but not meme replicators and so hold lower value. Humans can think and animals can’t, at least not in the way of replicating memes. That’s why we, and anything else that can think, are worth more.
The subject would become more aware of their mind, and what memes and tech they’re allowing to replicate. They should take additional care in what arguments and ideas they let pass onto others, and which ideas of others they find dangerous and must block their own mind from adopting.
Kinship towards others would be based on ideological lines. Genetically, we’re all prettymuch identical because humans make up such a small piece of the gene-pie. Even someone who looks ‘perfectly opposite’ you is practically identical to you genetically. Memetically, humans are the entire pie, so a subject with perfectly opposite ideas can really be your opposite. You would judge people more on the content of their minds.
Lastly, you would look at those with different beliefs and do what you can to replicate your memes. You’d teach them and explain to them why your belief is true, and why it is good.
When you take memes into account, Egan’s Law comes back to being true.
Your hypothetical person holds themselves as a ‘gene machine’, but their views should further change when you look at humans ‘gene/meme/(tech) machine’.
Animals are gene replicators but not meme replicators and so hold lower value. Humans can think and animals can’t, at least not in the way of replicating memes. That’s why we, and anything else that can think, are worth more.
The subject would become more aware of their mind, and what memes and tech they’re allowing to replicate. They should take additional care in what arguments and ideas they let pass onto others, and which ideas of others they find dangerous and must block their own mind from adopting.
Kinship towards others would be based on ideological lines. Genetically, we’re all prettymuch identical because humans make up such a small piece of the gene-pie. Even someone who looks ‘perfectly opposite’ you is practically identical to you genetically. Memetically, humans are the entire pie, so a subject with perfectly opposite ideas can really be your opposite. You would judge people more on the content of their minds.
Lastly, you would look at those with different beliefs and do what you can to replicate your memes. You’d teach them and explain to them why your belief is true, and why it is good.
When you take memes into account, Egan’s Law comes back to being true.
That is cultural kin selection.
That sounds about right. And thank you for introducing me to that blog. It seems to have some good stuff so I’ll check it out.