To begin the world has a certain way of controlling people. The study of memes which is brought to light by Dr. Susan Blackmore who devotes her research on memes and how they attach onto their host which she argues in her article, “Strange Creatures.” In “Who Holds the Clicker?”, Lauren Slater elaborates on a man named Mario Della Grotta who suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Slater uses Mario Grotta as an example because of the simple fact that he cannot live his life to the fullest extent due to his disorder. Similarly, Blackmore argues that memes negatively affects humans because they rely on imitation and can not think for themselves. Mario becomes the first American psychiatric patients to undergo such a experimental procedure.
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Slater gives various reasons and make it so that her argument is contradicted. She explains that Mario decided to go through with the procedure and decided to try and correct his OCD. In this case, we can see how Mario did control his own mind by deciding this. Mario undergoes a treatment called Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) but by giving this example creates the idea that one brain is trained to fight the OCD but does not create mind control. Slater states, “For the most part, researchers insist DBS has nothing to do with mind control or social shaping; they are simply psychiatrics targeting symptoms.” (Slater 240) Another thought about psychiatrists is that can warp patients into thinking anything they choose. One question comes to mind when hearing that, ‘Can doctors control us?’ Not only can diseases and memes control humans but doctors can too. Blackmore discusses the problems memes create in our world. Memes subject people to a limited way of thinking and acting. Thoughts, feelings, and Behavior can be altered because of memes by imitation. With that in mind, Blackmore brings up the idea that memes come from the human brain. Blackmore explains, “Memes are stored in human brains and passed on by imitation.” (Blackmore 36) Blackmore’s idea brings up a good point that if the brain can be …show more content…
Imitation and memes causes people’s learning abilities to decrease and original thinking. Slater explains that Mario is now in healthier state and can live ‘freely.’ Slater updates her audience by stating, “ Mario is proud of his progress...Mario can hear her breathe: he is not afraid to hold her hand.” (Slater 243) This can dismantle both arguments because due to his treatment his brain is in a healthier state. Blackmore also reiterates that her aim for the book is to express the various aspects of human behavior and thinking as well as further explain her theory of memetics. The reality of memes is that it creates a false reality. Everyone mimicking each other does not make the world better it makes it harder for one to control their own mind. By constantly copying others one can lose themselves and end up being someone completely different. By the end of Blackmores article she states, “I may speculate and even, at times, leap wildly beyond the evidence, but as long as the speculations can be tested then they can be helpful.” (Blackmore 39) With this in mind one can infer that even though memes do exist, the evidence is limited to support that memes do control people. This means that although blackmore wants to prove her argument is valid she is leaving this topic open for debate. All things considered, Both authors
Slater gives various reasons and make it so that her argument is contradicted. She explains that Mario decided to go through with the procedure and decided to try and correct his OCD. In this case, we can see how Mario did control his own mind by deciding this. Mario undergoes a treatment called Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) but by giving this example creates the idea that one brain is trained to fight the OCD but does not create mind control. Slater states, “For the most part, researchers insist DBS has nothing to do with mind control or social shaping; they are simply psychiatrics targeting symptoms.” (Slater 240) Another thought about psychiatrists is that can warp patients into thinking anything they choose. One question comes to mind when hearing that, ‘Can doctors control us?’ Not only can diseases and memes control humans but doctors can too. Blackmore discusses the problems memes create in our world. Memes subject people to a limited way of thinking and acting. Thoughts, feelings, and Behavior can be altered because of memes by imitation. With that in mind, Blackmore brings up the idea that memes come from the human brain. Blackmore explains, “Memes are stored in human brains and passed on by imitation.” (Blackmore 36) Blackmore’s idea brings up a good point that if the brain can be …show more content…
Imitation and memes causes people’s learning abilities to decrease and original thinking. Slater explains that Mario is now in healthier state and can live ‘freely.’ Slater updates her audience by stating, “ Mario is proud of his progress...Mario can hear her breathe: he is not afraid to hold her hand.” (Slater 243) This can dismantle both arguments because due to his treatment his brain is in a healthier state. Blackmore also reiterates that her aim for the book is to express the various aspects of human behavior and thinking as well as further explain her theory of memetics. The reality of memes is that it creates a false reality. Everyone mimicking each other does not make the world better it makes it harder for one to control their own mind. By constantly copying others one can lose themselves and end up being someone completely different. By the end of Blackmores article she states, “I may speculate and even, at times, leap wildly beyond the evidence, but as long as the speculations can be tested then they can be helpful.” (Blackmore 39) With this in mind one can infer that even though memes do exist, the evidence is limited to support that memes do control people. This means that although blackmore wants to prove her argument is valid she is leaving this topic open for debate. All things considered, Both authors