Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Thoughts on Social Control -

Time magazine most surely has had a very rich vein of articles on the human mind and related topics.

Whilst picking around on my "Consciousness" pieces I also came across this -
How To Change A Personality
Thursday, Jan. 18, 2007 By FRANCINE RUSSO

Deep brain stimulation, or DBS, is a treatment given to Parkinson's patients who don't respond to medication. A neurosurgeon implants a set ofelectrodes deep into the victim's brain, where they give off little jolts of electricity to disrupt the involuntary tremors and other symptoms of the disease. But according to Martha Farah, a neuroscientist at the University of Pennsylvania, at least one patient routinely chooses which electrical contact to activate depending on how she wants to feel: calm for every day, more "revved up" for a party.


Sounds innocent enough, huh! The electromagnetic equivalent of party pills...

But...

It really does get scary -
Neuroethicists are also worried that these new cognitive technologies could widen the gap between those who can afford them and those who can't, eventually creating different classes of human beings. Just as problematic as unequal access, some say, is the prospect of people being forced, implicitly or explicitly, to take mind-altering medications. Someday we may all feel pressure to take--or give our kids--focus- or memory-sharpening drugs to compete at school or work. In fact, says Richard Glen Boire, senior fellow on law and policy at the Center for Cognitive Liberty & Ethics in Davis, Calif., "some schools require kids--not diagnosed with ADHD by doctors--to take Ritalin to attend school."

Farah also imagines the day when we have what she calls a "neuro-correctional system" that could transform criminals into noncriminals. We already force sex offenders to take libido-dampening drugs or face denial of parole. A drug to dampen violent impulses might someday be similarly applied. That could, in theory, prevent crimes.

If you know not why I highlighted that last para, go read Huxley, "Brave New World", to find out.

And, for Dave, there is the future of your "we are doing alright society".

No comments: