inhibitory regulators
the combination of a regulator and a behaviour coding meme is what is often called an “antimeme”. i do not like to use this term as it’s been overloaded and has been used to describe many different interactions in memetics.
inhibitory regulators control the expression of a behaviour, and therefore, its spread.
the level of suppression controls the spread of that idea. maybe it’s a behaviour you only do alone in the bathroom. maybe it’s a behaviour you do with just one other person in the room. maybe it’s a behaviour you’ll only reveal to your close friends.
inhibitory regulators, ARE MEMETIC. they spread just like normal memes. e.g. secrecy/illegibility, shame, social taboos, hiding of sexual identity.
inhibitory regulators can bundle up into memeplexes:
- gender norms
- cultural norms
- political ideologies
excitatory regulators
these are memes that allow for open expression of ideas
- free speech ideas
- valuing authenticity
- accepting mistakes
- why do open research?