On 05/08/2013 10:31 AM, Marcus G. Daniels wrote: > What is a counter example of non-homogenization of culture?
I think homogenization of (or homogenized state of) culture can take different forms. Were it normal, it could be fatter or skinnier. If it's skewed/biased (which is most likely) it can be skewed more or less. These "parameters" for whatever distribution exist would (were we to measure samples) provide counter examples. Higher sigma and fatter tails would indicate "less homogenous". > It seems > to suggest that culture is a thing that leads individuals, rather than > individuals leading it. If we consider the whole, high dimensional space, I posit that the reality contains multiple feedback loops. I.e. culture leads individuals and vice versa. Whether the causal flows happen more in one or the other direction probably depends on which variable is being examined. For example, it seems to me that I see 2 opposing causal flows in music. One is that in pop music, culture leads individuals. But in folk or jazz or any live-music oriented domain, it strikes me that individuals (or individual bands) lead culture. > If anything, the problem in the U.S. is that people think their problems > are unique and that their clan is special. So, we fail to factor out > the common bits of everyday life into shared systems like mass > transport, affordable housing, health care, etc. > > There's something to be said for put up or shut up. Prove you're > special. Oh, so you're not, here's a nice television for you to watch. This pressure is good, despite the risks of narcissism or sanctimony to any particular individual. It's difficult for me to imagine an individual performing at their maximum if they spend all their time in the middle of the biggest cluster of individuals. But I still reject the idea that any particular individual is somehow _not_ special. I remember a distinction made at one of the computing and philosophy conferences i attended referring to the difference between the "special" sciences and the "general" sciences. That is one of the reasons I think biology is interesting. I think it sits right on the line. It's a special science, but seems to be poised to reveal some more generic "laws" any decade now. -- glen =><= Hail Eris! ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com
