Fads are Good

[lulie]

Lots of people who don't understand meme theory think fads are memes, and therefore they're bad or somehow not to be respected

Comments

[ockeroid]

What if part of the fad is social pressure to be part of it?

Does fashion count as a fad? That's the main example I can think of when someone might have to conform to it to avoid bad things. But it seems like fashion would be something deeper.

[lulie]

If part of the fad is social pressure, then maybe. I can't think of any such fads, though. Fads are usually too young to contain a lot of knowledge to prevent rationality. Can you give an example?

Particular fashions might count as fads, but the idea that looks are important isn't. The irrationality isn't so much in what you must wear/look like exactly, but in the fact that you have to look a certain way full stop.

[ockeroid]

Hmm, not sure I can think of any examples of social pressure fads. Everything would actually be other ideas that make it bad, not the fas.

But thought of other ways a fad could harm you: Maybe the fad could contain something false. Like, there could be a fad that has a theme of sharing even when you want to keep playing so that other people get a turn. Which would encourage selflessness.
Or there could be a fad that says that environmentalism is good.

[curi42]

Just replace word 'meme' with 'replicator' which is what it actually means. then it's obvious. fads are replicators, but can be good or bad.

[ockeroid]

Can you give some examples of possible bad fads?
Why would people take them up if they weren't beneficial?

[curi42]

the atkins diet.

because the people made a mistake.

[anonymous]

Happy slapping is good?

[lulie]

No.

I should've said: they're not necessarily bad.