Fwd:Lichen Model of XA/Rehab

[Guest guest]

> Sounds like a winner Pete -- we're all jest gaggin' out here for a

>sizzlin' new paradigm. You'd be referring of course to the

>fictional analogue in Wyndham's book " The Trouble With Lichen " ,

>in which a proliferating alien life form takes over everybody's mind

>or something.

Actually I wasnt, though I'm tickled pink to see the coincidence!

Meme theory uses a Virus Model to explain how behaviors and beliefs,

like AA's, spread between people. There is also a Bacterial Model of

human groups and the way they replicate by division, like AA groups

do. The genetic material of the new copies is basically the same

apart from occasional chance mutations, and simlarly the memetic

material of XA groups is basically the same apart from chance

" resentment " mutations (or the discovery of a new " disease " /angst that

requires a step fellowship to overcome).

I propose a new biological analogy to describe XA. Lichens are unique

organisms that have two kinds of cell with entirely different DNA in

them. They probably evolved from separate species that became so

symbiotic that they are now incapable of life without each other. The

two cells perform separate tasks - only one has the clorophyll

necessary for photosynthesis to absorb energy, for example.

For me, the XA/rehab system is a lichen. The XA groups themselves

have very little money-making chlorophyll - they have no scientific or

medical credos and only take fairly small voluntary contributions.

They provide massive social reinforcement however and are available

much more readily than rehabs almost everywhere. The rehabs are more

limited on social support - the only credible gurus are professionals

not peers, but they have pseudoscientific pseudomedical clout and they

can soak up vast sums of money like Florida grass soaking up sunlight.

Their food (punters) can enter the system via either kind of cell, but

once in, they basically get passed back and forth XA - rehab - XA

until finally they're milked of everything pocket and soul and become

part of the lichen; either a professional rehab grouper or the bog

standard XA sponsor one.

Any plagiarists out there - this is now PUBLICLY COPYRIGHTED by me -

date as stamp!

Pete

>

> btw -- thanks for getting me to your photo. I reciprocated by

putting one

> of me on file, dnh2.jpg, I think. Uninspired for new bombpic just

now, but

> got you in mind (maybe collage from 12stepfree files . . ). I posted

to you

> about a week ago about the photo but it got lost en route I suppose.

>

> Best wishes,

>

> .

>

>

>

> >From: watts_pete@h...

> >Reply-To: 12-step-freeegroups

> >To: 12-step-freeegroups

> >Subject: Re: Pete--racism

> >Date: Mon, 07 Aug 2000 14:28:13 -0000

> >

> >--- In 12-step-freeegroups, " douglas houston "

<doug_houston@h...>

> >

> > > btw I've got one of them PhDs and if there's any rule of thumb

in

> >these

> > > matters then I've no doubt you've got the ability to make that

grade

> >-- it

> > > just takes an idea and the skills in analysis, investigation,

and

> >literacy

> > > necessary to explore it in between 60000 and 100000 words (in

the

> >humanities

> > > anyway). I've no doubt you could write a good 'un.

> >

> >

> >Tx

> >

> >My thesis would be " The Lichen Model of XA and the treatment

centres "

> >- using Discourse Analysis and meme theory. Ya never know...

> >

> >P.

> >

>

>

______________________________________________________________________

__

> Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at

http://www.hotmail.com

--- End forwarded message ---

[Guest guest]

OK Pete.

Good analogy. I'll give you a more elaborated response later. Earliest

tomorrow.

Bjørn

watts_pete@... wrote:

>

> > Sounds like a winner Pete -- we're all jest gaggin' out here for a

> >sizzlin' new paradigm. You'd be referring of course to the

> >fictional analogue in Wyndham's book " The Trouble With Lichen " ,

> >in which a proliferating alien life form takes over everybody's mind

> >or something.

>

> Actually I wasnt, though I'm tickled pink to see the coincidence!

>

> Meme theory uses a Virus Model to explain how behaviors and beliefs,

> like AA's, spread between people. There is also a Bacterial Model of

> human groups and the way they replicate by division, like AA groups

> do. The genetic material of the new copies is basically the same

> apart from occasional chance mutations, and simlarly the memetic

> material of XA groups is basically the same apart from chance

> " resentment " mutations (or the discovery of a new " disease " /angst that

> requires a step fellowship to overcome).

>

> I propose a new biological analogy to describe XA. Lichens are unique

> organisms that have two kinds of cell with entirely different DNA in

> them. They probably evolved from separate species that became so

> symbiotic that they are now incapable of life without each other. The

> two cells perform separate tasks - only one has the clorophyll

> necessary for photosynthesis to absorb energy, for example.

>

> For me, the XA/rehab system is a lichen. The XA groups themselves

> have very little money-making chlorophyll - they have no scientific or

> medical credos and only take fairly small voluntary contributions.

> They provide massive social reinforcement however and are available

> much more readily than rehabs almost everywhere. The rehabs are more

> limited on social support - the only credible gurus are professionals

> not peers, but they have pseudoscientific pseudomedical clout and they

> can soak up vast sums of money like Florida grass soaking up sunlight.

>

> Their food (punters) can enter the system via either kind of cell, but

> once in, they basically get passed back and forth XA - rehab - XA

> until finally they're milked of everything pocket and soul and become

> part of the lichen; either a professional rehab grouper or the bog

> standard XA sponsor one.

>

> Any plagiarists out there - this is now PUBLICLY COPYRIGHTED by me -

> date as stamp!

>

> Pete

>

> >

> > btw -- thanks for getting me to your photo. I reciprocated by

> putting one

> > of me on file, dnh2.jpg, I think. Uninspired for new bombpic just

> now, but

> > got you in mind (maybe collage from 12stepfree files . . ). I posted

> to you

> > about a week ago about the photo but it got lost en route I suppose.

> >

> > Best wishes,

> >

> > .

> >

> >

> >

> > >From: watts_pete@h...

> > >Reply-To: 12-step-freeegroups

> > >To: 12-step-freeegroups

> > >Subject: Re: Pete--racism

> > >Date: Mon, 07 Aug 2000 14:28:13 -0000

> > >

> > >--- In 12-step-freeegroups, " douglas houston "

> <doug_houston@h...>

> > >

> > > > btw I've got one of them PhDs and if there's any rule of thumb

> in

> > >these

> > > > matters then I've no doubt you've got the ability to make that

> grade

> > >-- it

> > > > just takes an idea and the skills in analysis, investigation,

> and

> > >literacy

> > > > necessary to explore it in between 60000 and 100000 words (in

> the

> > >humanities

> > > > anyway). I've no doubt you could write a good 'un.

> > >

> > >

> > >Tx

> > >

> > >My thesis would be " The Lichen Model of XA and the treatment

> centres "

> > >- using Discourse Analysis and meme theory. Ya never know...

> > >

> > >P.

> > >

> >

> >

> ______________________________________________________________________

> __

> > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at

> http://www.hotmail.com

> --- End forwarded message ---

>