Lacadaemon
26-12-2004, 07:11
Laconia Institute of Alienist Philosophy:
“People still labor under the misconception of ‘free will’” remarked Senior Academician Lysander. “But the truth is the human brain is just like a computer in certain respects. It has a basic operating system that limits any choice an individual can make, and if one can reset and redefine the operating system…..well then, one can redefine the suite of choices that any individual can make.”
“Plain talk, Academician, please,” grunted Senior-Lochos Heraklites, “I have no idea what you are trying to tell me.”
“Well, simply put Senior- Lochos, we believe that we have found a way of reprogramming the human brain. It’s not a matter of “thought control” though. What we have found is that we can, using a variety of surgical techniques and modern electronics, change the motivations that define a man. By doing that we control all his choices and make him a tool. Let me explain.
“Approximately thirty years ago, foreign academicians – I believe they are called ‘scientists’ in their homelands - discovered by inserting wire thin electrodes into the pleasure centers of the cerebral cortexes of experimental animals they could condition behavior patterns far beyond what was thought possible. For example, a chimpanzee had its pleasure center wired in such a fashion, and was given a button that would stimulate the pleasure center electrically every five seconds when pushed. Now, there are two important things to note with this experiment: First, the button only became active every five seconds for a brief period, and second, after two days the button was disconnected permanently.”
Academician Lysander, paused and took a sip of water from the desk in front of him, cleared his throat and continued. “Seems simple so far, but the results were startling. Within thirty cycles the test animal learned to press the button exactly every five seconds. No variation whatsoever. Indeed the timed precision of the subjects reactions far exceeded the best performance of any human insofar as judging elapsed time is concerned. Every five seconds, the ape would press the button on the dot, and I doubt any of our best pilots could come close to judging elapsed time as accurately.
“More importantly though, is after the button was disconnected, the test subject continued to press it. Every five seconds, stab stab stab, to the exclusion of all else. It just sat there and kept on pressing the button while its own excrement piled up around it. Eventually chronic dehydration effected its timing, yet it kept on pressing the button to the exclusion of all else until it finally died.”
“So what, the dominion is full of button pushers,” Heraklites growled, “why should we find a way to make more?”
“You miss the point Senior Lochos, it is not a matter of button pushing. With this methodology, we can fundamentally alter the basic drives of the ordinary man. If you can take a common ape and ‘reprogram’ him to loose all interest in food, water and sex because a button becomes his only motivation, with a little refinement, this technology can be used to readjust the primary motivations of the ordinary citizen.
“Now, just as in the case of the test chimpanzee, you are not destroying individual choice or freedom. If the test chimpanzee in the experiment I mentioned was threatened with fire it would still evade the threat –albeit returning to the button as soon as possible. So it is not in any way destructive of the ego or creativity, it is simply a matter of readjusting the fundamental parameters that govern any decisions that can be made. As I said, we can basically change the ‘operating system’ that defines how the human brain behaves. This will leave us with the same flexibility and creativity, just focused towards goals of our own choosing.
“We believe if that this technology is fully developed we can take anyone and ‘re-adjust’ their primary goals, giving them the dedication to become fanatical about perfection in any given task. Imagine, turbo aircraft mechanics that cannot except less than perfection in maintenance, shipwrights that cannot abide the smallest flaw in their work and pilots with reaction speeds far above anything we have currently measured.
“More, we can use it to forge soldiers that will never even consider surrender or retreat, who show no mercy and will live only for the total destruction of their enemies. And it does not even matter from where these soldiers came. Using this, we could take prisoners of war, and within a few weeks convert them to fanatics who fight for our nation, yet at the same time all the skills that they had learned, and experience they had gained, would now be at their disposal for our use.”
Heraklites looked up, suddenly interested. “I suppose this could be used as an interrogation tool also?”
“Yes, given the right implantation, of course” smiled Lysander.
“What do you call this?” asked Heraklites.
“Brainfixing.”
“Sounds good. Start now, the Grand Archons authorization will follow forwith.”
“People still labor under the misconception of ‘free will’” remarked Senior Academician Lysander. “But the truth is the human brain is just like a computer in certain respects. It has a basic operating system that limits any choice an individual can make, and if one can reset and redefine the operating system…..well then, one can redefine the suite of choices that any individual can make.”
“Plain talk, Academician, please,” grunted Senior-Lochos Heraklites, “I have no idea what you are trying to tell me.”
“Well, simply put Senior- Lochos, we believe that we have found a way of reprogramming the human brain. It’s not a matter of “thought control” though. What we have found is that we can, using a variety of surgical techniques and modern electronics, change the motivations that define a man. By doing that we control all his choices and make him a tool. Let me explain.
“Approximately thirty years ago, foreign academicians – I believe they are called ‘scientists’ in their homelands - discovered by inserting wire thin electrodes into the pleasure centers of the cerebral cortexes of experimental animals they could condition behavior patterns far beyond what was thought possible. For example, a chimpanzee had its pleasure center wired in such a fashion, and was given a button that would stimulate the pleasure center electrically every five seconds when pushed. Now, there are two important things to note with this experiment: First, the button only became active every five seconds for a brief period, and second, after two days the button was disconnected permanently.”
Academician Lysander, paused and took a sip of water from the desk in front of him, cleared his throat and continued. “Seems simple so far, but the results were startling. Within thirty cycles the test animal learned to press the button exactly every five seconds. No variation whatsoever. Indeed the timed precision of the subjects reactions far exceeded the best performance of any human insofar as judging elapsed time is concerned. Every five seconds, the ape would press the button on the dot, and I doubt any of our best pilots could come close to judging elapsed time as accurately.
“More importantly though, is after the button was disconnected, the test subject continued to press it. Every five seconds, stab stab stab, to the exclusion of all else. It just sat there and kept on pressing the button while its own excrement piled up around it. Eventually chronic dehydration effected its timing, yet it kept on pressing the button to the exclusion of all else until it finally died.”
“So what, the dominion is full of button pushers,” Heraklites growled, “why should we find a way to make more?”
“You miss the point Senior Lochos, it is not a matter of button pushing. With this methodology, we can fundamentally alter the basic drives of the ordinary man. If you can take a common ape and ‘reprogram’ him to loose all interest in food, water and sex because a button becomes his only motivation, with a little refinement, this technology can be used to readjust the primary motivations of the ordinary citizen.
“Now, just as in the case of the test chimpanzee, you are not destroying individual choice or freedom. If the test chimpanzee in the experiment I mentioned was threatened with fire it would still evade the threat –albeit returning to the button as soon as possible. So it is not in any way destructive of the ego or creativity, it is simply a matter of readjusting the fundamental parameters that govern any decisions that can be made. As I said, we can basically change the ‘operating system’ that defines how the human brain behaves. This will leave us with the same flexibility and creativity, just focused towards goals of our own choosing.
“We believe if that this technology is fully developed we can take anyone and ‘re-adjust’ their primary goals, giving them the dedication to become fanatical about perfection in any given task. Imagine, turbo aircraft mechanics that cannot except less than perfection in maintenance, shipwrights that cannot abide the smallest flaw in their work and pilots with reaction speeds far above anything we have currently measured.
“More, we can use it to forge soldiers that will never even consider surrender or retreat, who show no mercy and will live only for the total destruction of their enemies. And it does not even matter from where these soldiers came. Using this, we could take prisoners of war, and within a few weeks convert them to fanatics who fight for our nation, yet at the same time all the skills that they had learned, and experience they had gained, would now be at their disposal for our use.”
Heraklites looked up, suddenly interested. “I suppose this could be used as an interrogation tool also?”
“Yes, given the right implantation, of course” smiled Lysander.
“What do you call this?” asked Heraklites.
“Brainfixing.”
“Sounds good. Start now, the Grand Archons authorization will follow forwith.”