Cultural Transmission

Cultural Transmission is a word that slipped out of my mouth while speaking with Dr. David Norman of Birmingham University. I didn't noticed that I said it until he pointed it out. I'm not writing this only to brag, but I think I revealed a bit about how I actually view culture. It's not necessarily pathogenic, but it can be opportunistic.

Think about that bacteria...Staph something or other. It's on all of our skin. It provides a lot of protection against harmful bacteria therefore according to my high school level of biology, we can call the relationship between that bacteria and humans mutualistic. However, under certain circumstances this staph can act as a factor in illness as it's benefits can also provide benefits to actual pathogens.

Is culture the same way? Does it inject itself like a virus? Or, does it grow and spread like bacterium? In which way does it spread? When is the transmission of culture a disease, and when is it beneficial?

Interesting questions. I think I have Dr. Piboon Puriveth to thank for this line of thinking.

I actually just want to rant about my anger management issues caused from my recent stop in smoking. That's right...I started smoking when I was 22, I think it was...and now I'm 32...so It's been about ten years, give or take a year. And, not only smoking, but smoking fairly heavily...about a pack and a half to two packs a day on average. Somedays I got a little far into the third pack, but usually I cut it off at a single pack. Okay, so making logical arguments is also something that I"m finding difficult.

I will try to link this rant into some interesting political stuff. First, I wonder how many political decisions are made by unbalanced minds. Muammar Gaddafi flies to mind. Is his declaration of war on his own people due to he too quitting smoking? I doubt it, but seriously...it's like my anger is just under the surface, all the time.

I flipped out at a good friend today because she does caffeine enemas. It's completely dumb because the only research that showed any reason to do it was done 80 years ago, and all the recent stuff cites risk of infection, risk of various imbalances, etc. Anyway, I am too muddled to recall clearly right now.