February 22, 2002










  • Internet Virus Antidote

    "Could you be unwittingly spreading a virus of the mind? Passing on lies and misinformation to your friends?

    Could you or someone you know be a victim of an Internet Mind Virus?

    You could. But never fear: the antidote is here. You've seen messages promising money, luck, or sex -- as long as you pass them on. Messages warning you of a dangerous new virus, and begging you to tell your friends, quick! Or perhaps you've seen a topical joke that you wanted to send to all your friends -- send it fast, before they hear it from someone else!

    All of these are viruses. Not computer viruses, but MIND viruses. These messages all have one thing in common: they contain compelling messages, or memes, that grab our attention and persuade us to pass them on. These memes play on our fear of loss, or embarrassment, or appeal to us with promises of sex or money or good luck. Some of messages make us feel good about ourselves because we believe that by passing on a plea for help or signing a petition, we're doing a good deed.

    And sometimes we are. A mind virus or meme is not by itself a bad thing. But would you pass on a mysterious computer virus to a friend? Of course not.

    A powerful Internet Mind Virus compels us to re-send it to others. The message spreads explosively as we and many others help it reproduce. The information in the message -- whether true or false, useful or not -- becomes widespread, infecting many people.

    Most of these viruses of the mind are spread because they are intriguing or frightening or inspiring, and not necessarily because they're true. That's the problem. "


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