Why You Watched "Tiger King"

2022-11-29T14:08:07Z

In the morning, I discovered the Secret Behind All Human Behavior; in the afternoon, I went for a long tromp; in the evening, I phone-gabbed with Policy Eleanor for two hours.

So, all in all, yesterday was a good day.

The Secret Behind All Human Behavior is explained by memetics, a kind of evolutionary model of cultural information transfer.

And you do know what memetics is if you’ve ever posted a meme. Memes are the loose change you scrounge from under the sofa cushions in the world of memetics.

Memetics references that imitative instinct that’s hardwired into all primates: Monkey see, monkey do. It more or less operates unconsciously because it conflicts with the human conceit that one’s own personality is shaped by desires that are a reflection of some autonomous, authentic self.

In fact, though, there is no such thing as an authentic self.

While we’re still working our way up the lower portions of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we’re motivated by instinctual responses that impel us to seek out food, warmth, security, etc.

But how is desire determined when we ascend to the upper reaches of the pyramid?

We turn to other people to model what our desires should be. Other people’s desires become our measuring sticks, and therefore, other people become our rivals.

In other words, we don’t fight because we’re different.

We fight because we want the same things.

Memetics was very big on The Well, which is where I first encountered the theory some—ulp!—30 years ago.

I didn’t know what the fuck people were talking about when they talked about memetics back then. I’ve never had the slightest talent for what you might call abstract thought.

Maybe it was that strange mood I was in yesterday. Searching for some kind of meaningful pattern. Because I’m not sure why it suddenly clicked when I read that Girard for Dummies essay—except that it did.

And I felt the sky opening up.

This explains everything, I thought.

Pronoun signaling, virtue signaling, stock market bubbles, cancel culture, why everyone in America watched Tiger King during the first six months of the pandemic.

What's most simultaneously intriguing and alarming to me about using memetics as a conceptual lens is that, just as with evolution, there is no determinism to memetic fluctuations. They just... occur.

As with evolution, I suppose, people pin the idea of progress on to these fluctuations. But they can just as easily be interpreted to mean the center is not holding.

It was really cold and windy when I tromped but still above my minimum temperature threshold, so I flogged myself to keep on tromping even though I can’t say it was much fun.

Regular exercise is the key to continuing health.

And chatting with Eleanor is always a blast.

We made a plan to travel together to Israel in the spring—assuming that Ichabod’s new job means that he will be unable to knock off for two weeks to go to Guatemala. I think that's a safe assumption, although I'll have to wait until mid-December for confirmation.

I have this sense that Israel isn’t gonna be around for too much longer.

Or if it is around, it won’t be safe for travel.

I want to visit Jerusalem while I can.

And Eleanor would be an absolutely perfect travel comrade.

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Why You Watched "Tiger King"