The Final Crisis -- the Genesis of Memes and Superorganisms

The rare earths cannot be fully understood without first examining the elements of Group VIIIB (under Iron, Cobalt and Nickel) where the first hints of internal distinctions which do not result in external (chemical or valence) differences.

The Last Three -- 109ium, 110ium and 111ium

After the awareness of emergence one final crisis still remains.

The Final Crisis

A fourth series of internal distinctions begin in the Interindividual Balance, where Group VIII (starting with 109ium? and evolving into 110ium? and 111ium?) introduces the minor crisis known as "society decides to kill you." In order to resolve this crisis, an emergent sub-entity of the self begins to emerge which can transcend its own death. The emergent sub-entity is immortality and is achieved through the creation of a superorganism which will continue beyond death. Without a superorganism like a meme or a religion, the interindividual self cannot develop further. In developing further, the superorganism must emerge independent of the original self that created it. To do so, it emerges at the incorporative level.

The memes of the superorganism emerge in sacrificial satisfaction (110ium) and must mature into evangelical predation (111ium) before it can develop further. Interestingly enough, again this is enough for the Interindividual Balance's limited needs from immortality. Because the superorganism is such a low-level sub-entity at this point, the individual never needs a more fully developed meme on which to base its conception of self.

Because the superorganism emerges at the incorporative level, the whole process begins anew following the same path of development as the individual from which which it arose, just at another level of abstraction.

Fulfilling Second Set of Long Wait Requirements

It is interesting to ask whether the memes so emergent fulfill the requirements of the second long wait.

See also The Pattern and Rare Earths.

— Scotus - 30 Jul 2000