November 23rd, 2008
Epidemonology
So, now that you’ve got it, what are you going to do with it?
You could try and cure yourself. All you have to do is forget, permanently, that you have it. Perhaps a bottle of whiskey or a blow to the head? Those of you who read this comic whilst taking recreational rohypnol probably don’t have to worry at all.
Or, you could be a carrier. You know you have it, but that doesn’t mean you have to infect anyone else. Keep it to yourself, keep quiet, don’t write it, don’t speak it.
Or, and by far the most fun option, you could be a vector for BadWinter. Tell people, write it somewhere they’ll see it, spread the virus and do its bidding.
So, what are you going to do?
I don’t get it. : (
There’s no need to be sad, I’ll explain:
Badwinter is my attempt at creating an artificial memetic virus:
http://memes.org/memetic-virus-exchange
That is to say I have made a virus that does not transmit itself via DNA of RNA, but rather by its own concept or meme.
Purely by having it in your head means you are infected, however its efficacy is defined by how quickly it spreads.
There are plenty of other memetic viruses out there, indeed you may already be infected by many of them. Here is a human virus scanner, so you can get yourself checked out:
http://www.totl.net/VirusScanner/
Is that any help?
I guess I’m immune to human viruses. I ran the scanner and while I have definitions for most of the images, I never think about them as entities, or at least not in the intended way. Sorry to say I probably won’t be a vector, unless you want me to be some kind of pusher. (but good pushers aren’t users : )
I love this drawing.
Thanks. I used to draw that pattern all over my notebooks at school. The more you do the better it looks.
It’s got a vaguely fractal-ish edge too it, doesn’t it? That decreasing inverted repeat on the branchings…
Honestly, misery loves company so whenever I end up getting some nasty flu I enjoy coughing all over everything and everybody I can. Why should I be the only one to suffer, besides I feel as though I’m helping the human race build immunity to these different diseases. So for humanities sake it’s the right thing to do.
Ha!
“I’m helping the human race build immunity to these different diseases”
The Humanitarian Award is in the post.
“That is to say I have made a virus that does not transmit itself via DNA of RNA, but rather by its own concept or meme.”
So it is the black and white equivalent of LOLcats. But being a carrier I suppose its going to infect everyone I exchange words with.
so it’s a bit like the internet equivalent of ‘the game’?
(oh no, now i’ve lost the game)
Haha, thanks for that.
oh no she didn’t! ha ha. nice one.
“Nothing helps a bad mood, like spreading it around.” Too bad that this dosnt apply to viruses.
Considering I’ve recently been called fatalistic, contagious and fatal (not by a doc, thankfully and none were meant disparagingly), I suppose I shall be a vector.
i have definitely been described as contagious in a non-negative sense, as well. count me in as a vector.
Well, it is nice to finally have a virus that doesn’t involve coughing up blood or the drip.
So perhaps I would do both, because in this world you have to protect yourself most, because this world is full of dangers. So I would protect my family but I won’t protect others. Maybe it’s not a fair methode, but you always have to look at you and your health first.
Mmmmm, vectors. I wonder if we could make stencils of the pattern, such that it repeats in a way that you can use the stencil over again and again, to make a continuous motif of BadWinter graffiti? Only someone that’d seen the wording along with it would be triggered into thinking about the meme, but the patter’s distinctive enough that it’d be really effective. And a “BadWinter virus: Spreads via visual and verbal contact (sorry)” stencil to go along with it (some times), could be effective. Increase the spread past the boarders of the internet.
Tell you what, anyone actually wants that stencil, email me: werdnus [at] gmail [dot] com
If ten people are actually willing to use it where they live, I’ll cut them and mail them out. But you have to be serious, and actually do it. And I’m number one.
Nice offer Roo, thanks!
I’m working on a way of getting it to propogate visually too… i’ll let you know more after the intial tests pass (It might fail speactacularly, in which case it will also be worth showing).
today a friend of mine brought a white sweatshirt to school for everyone to decorate, so i put this pattern on one of the arms.