In what ways might it be possible to catch a "faulty(diseased)" way of thinking from others even though we may have never communicated with them?
2007-09-29 11:21:48 · 10 answers · asked by J. Hiatus 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
I think you're thinking of memes, thought patterns that can spread like viruses. Examples of memes include religion, fads, pop culture, and the nationalism that can sweep a nation during war or crisis. But as the first poster stated, there is no way for a thought to spread without being communicated from one person to the next.
Check out the Wiki link below, it's pretty informative.
2007-09-29 11:45:12 · answer #1 · answered by R[̲̅ə̲̅٨̲̅٥̲̅٦̲̅]ution 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A society or group can have a "personality" that is transmitted in thousands of subtle ways from the time one is born. I don't know of any way this personality can be transmitted without "communication" though unless there is something like Jung's "collective subconscious."
An example of this is the fact that our United States personality considers the freedom to bear arms a "God Given Right." According to a recent Yahoo! News article, there are 90 guns for every 100 people in the USA. If you discount children under 16 and those who own guns to hunt wild animals, this means about 9 out of 10 people in the USA own a gun for a purpose other than hunting.
Ownership (possession) of a weapon by these people is prima facie evidence that they intend to use that weapon and their use for it is to kill another person in some way. That is a Socially Transmitted Thought Disorder wherein those people have a profound intent for lethal violence and/or the actual use of lethal violence against their fellow humans (personality).
The logical outcome of this STTD is what is happening in Iraq and our and Russia's possession of over 5000 nuclear warheads each. Isn't such possession in reality a subliminal but logical conspiracy to commit murder?
Good luck, good question, good mental health, peace and love!
2007-09-29 21:10:02 · answer #2 · answered by Mad Mac 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They definitely exist. Look at the group mind. The mob mentality. Even through long distance seduction an idea or philosophy can infiltrate through and take hold. It's what commercial advertising is founded on.
2007-09-30 03:26:15 · answer #3 · answered by gldnsilnc 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I call it "memes". An entire culture can be poisoned by teaching and learning certain ways of thinking. Memetic information usually begins though by believing what we hear and what we are told.
Critical thinking is a great antidote to the problem.
2007-09-29 21:17:40 · answer #4 · answered by guru 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
subtle hints. "planting the seed", if you will. letting the seed grow into a something that the person gives consideration to.
but if we "never communicate" then there is no transfer of information, therefore we must communicate in some way to spread this thing youre talking about.
2007-09-29 18:29:02 · answer #5 · answered by blank 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hehehe. Go read up on 'memes'. There's a Wiki article on them and a ton of sites that discuss them.
Doug
2007-09-29 19:26:12 · answer #6 · answered by doug_donaghue 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since intercourse means to talk.
You could get an STTD by having intercourse with someone whose had intercourse with the infected party.
Remember, when you talk with someone, you are actually talking to everyone they've ever talked to.
Don't open your mind up to just anybody.
;-)
2007-09-29 23:25:35 · answer #7 · answered by Phoenix Quill 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No I don't think they do - people should take responsibility for their own thinking, not blame it on the media or pop culture.
2007-09-29 19:49:49 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They do. So keep that mind of yours a-watching all the time.
The impact is deeper than what is being spoken.
2007-09-29 20:44:30 · answer #9 · answered by oscar c 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have you heard of republicans?
Love and blessings Don
2007-09-29 21:15:02 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋