So. Far no, technology exists, that can control, what we believe or so, we believe. So. Our topic today is brainwashing, and mind-control. And, we're going to look at some of the technologies, that might be used for it or to defend against it but. Whilst be looking at some of the implications, this might have on civilizations. Far, away in space and time. Mind-control. Scares us for the obvious reason, that it's an invasion of the most extreme, and revolting, nature but, it's also so frightening because politically, and scientifically, speaking it's, also so plausible, we. Don't really go through life feeling that, mortal, or theft will be legalized, in the future but, few of a society, in which everyone has been brainwashed. Is one of the most common, themes of science fiction why. In. Part because of something we already have to deal with constantly, simply. By existing, in society, we are constantly subject, who attempts to manipulate sway. Or indoctrinate. Us some. Level of it is necessary, because children, need to be educated in proper behavior. Not just academic, knowledge but. We know how to bow that privacy and freedom, can, be eroded, away for, even apparently benevolent. Reasons and, we know there's no shortage, of non malevolent, folks to so. We could end up with a dystopian, nightmare again. Something common in science fiction and nowhere better done that in George Orwell's novel, 1984. A terrifying. Story 7, dystopia, of constant. Surveillance in indoctrination. Namie, sci-fi, novels, have such a huge impact that, they make a permanent impression on society, but even 70 years after its publication a reference, to 1984. Or the term Orwellian. Or Big Brother brings, an image of adult totalitarian. Control to mind regardless. Of whether or not one has read the book if, you haven't, I'd certainly recommend it you, can pick up a free copy of 1984. Today and also, get a 30-day trial of audible just use my link audible.com, slash Isaac, or texts Isaac - 500, - 500. Let's. Take a moment to better define what we mean by mind, control and what types of techniques, need to be considered, they, all of course levels. To the intrusiveness, of mind control at, the lowest level they were simple influence, like when parents educators, journalists. And others simply show and tell you things aimed at getting you to view things a certain way if. Those people are your only source of information, their influence, will shape your thinking for a long time, even, after you're away from them when. That influence, becomes more direct and is aimed at shaping, your political behavior it, morphs, into propaganda. Subliminal. Methods is quite, a broad category and it includes some well proven techniques, used in movies and advertising. And by post ways of speakers what, they all have in common is, that they exploit, the fact that we can only consciously. Process, part of the information we take in and much, of it gets processed only, unconsciously. We're. Getting into cysts or territory, with conditioning, and avulsion therapy, which, I'll call brain washing when they applied forcibly, all those stories like a Clockwork, Orange exploits benign. Socially, beneficial uses. Then. There was no hacking where, we directly alter, your thinking using either neuro chemical as all nanobots, by, reconfiguring, the neurons, you think with at. The highest level of Mind Control a new species could, be engineered or an existing one re-engineered. To simply possess or lack the cognitive traits of interest or of concern there's. No need to police or even forbid, activities, that no one is inclined, to do obviously. The, categories, in this loose Iwaki overlap, quite a bit and even there being six of them instead of eight or twenty is pretty, all betray most. Of the methods we'll discuss today oddly match, more than one of these descriptions, in. A society where my controllers, ubiquitous, and successful, you wouldn't really need a trakone Ian police state or constant, surveillance there's.
No Need to hunt for apples if nobody bells and indeed, citizens, will surveil one another if their. Neighbor expresses, an anti societal, thoughts they, will render assistance to him by contacting. The authorities the. Same way you or I would call an ambulance if our neighbor fell off, it's. Not betrayal, and they're not choosing loyalty, to the States over their friendship, with him they are doing him a favor and he'll thank them sincerely, when he gets home from his brain scrubbing, session after. All who, doesn't want a nice squeaky-clean. Brain. Not. A very dystopian, civilization. On the surface, in fact, the really disturbing thing is that it might appeal, incredibly. Utopian, it's. Likely everyone would be brainwashed, even, if only for things as simple as conditioning, to keep them from injuring anyone except, in desperate, self-defense, and to be courteous and not to steal behavior. As we already do all best to indoctrinate people into if everyone. Has that even, the supreme dictator it's, home to call that an evil empire of course. The idea is usually that the folks in charge are, exempt, from the conditioning, and, use it to enslave everyone, else even. For the other case though where, it is everyone, without exception the. Notion makes me rather queasy, and I doubt I'm in a minority there we. Have a term here for such civilizations, which is post discontent. Civilization. In contrast. To a post-scarcity. Civilization. This, is a fairly hazy borderline, much, like brainwashing, and indoctrination, forces, conditioning, children to act civilized but. The simple example, would be as follows in. A post-scarcity, civilization. People can get almost anything they want without, much trouble and have a lot of luxuries, in a, post discontent. Society, everybody, has been made very content, with what they have which. May be virtually, nothing you. Probably in doctor ate your kids in a post-scarcity, civilization. To avoid access, to like, wanting, their very own planet they, might still want one but feel embarrassed, to pursue that request or tell people about it for instance while. In a post discontent, civilization. They, might walk 16-hour, shifts, every day while. Coming home to a filthy rundown, hovel, and be, entirely blissful, about that, this. Is the concept, that truly, terrifies, us it. Goes beyond even feeling that it's better to die on your feet than live, on your knees is. The notion that you could be torn into a drone, who is entirely, happy with that existence, that, you could be totally oppressed. Enjoyed, about it this. Is doubly polymeric because, we aware of people for whom this is already, true particularly. For mild forms of it and because. It comes up often with artificial intelligence, to one. Of the most common proposals, for dealing with intelligent, machines is to make them so that they love their walk and that's, one of those thin hice areas, on the. One hand it's, certainly kinder to make an intelligent vacuum, that loves cleaning floors than one that hates it but on the other if, we were raising kids to enjoy being floor cleaners, I think, most of us would be pretty aghast, at that the. Analogy might be a bit iffy though forced. There is no reason to make a sentient vacuum, cleaner and, we do not react the same to being told a kid was raised to love being a doctor or astronomer. Second. There is also that line between compulsory. And encouragement, and the motivation, for it a lot. Of parents have some dreams in mind for their kids but, they are really compulsory. And typically, done for that kids benefit, or perceived. Benefit, anyway all. Objections. Tend to come when it feels like they went beyond encouragement. Or wasn't, really about the child's, best interest, a lot, of us end up following those parental, dreams and Lovett's, I can't, even write my own name down without being reminded I do but. That doesn't mean we are compelled, to do it or that the motivations, for that encouragement were bad in, a wider context. Picking, your kids profession, has been more the rule than the exception historically. Of course, there's a reason why we disapprove, of that nowadays, it's. One of the reasons I tend to dislike the notion of creating, artificial intelligence. With preset, motivations. We picked with our own best interest in mind not its own I think, there is a genuine, difference between, creating an AI to be a happy vacuum, cleaner and booney, a bunch meant to pilot probes after, space who, are on course to want to do that but, still given a choice and.
A Real choice to not, you, don't have to pilot the probe but if you say no you'll, be scrapped, or used to run a sewage treatment plant. Fundamentally. You just avoid building something with any more intelligence, than it needs and thus, avoid much, of the problem, as being, built to a task for that requires and elegance in judgment. Then being built for the purpose of passing Buttle, and for some reason being, given sentience, for this task. I. Think, you need informed consent, and enough leeway in the encouragement, that, alternatives. Are both available and, attractive. Using. That probe example, let's, say we've raised a bunch of artificial intelligences. To run opposed to other walls one. Reason to do that might be because you want to be sure that if they get out into deep space fall. From supervision, they, don't go off the rails and decide to exterminate some alien planet or Park in our solar system and stop, manufacturing warships. To come back and conquer earth you. Have guidelines for what you want them to do and not do while they're out fall from off but, you want them small so they can make good decisions and, have some flexibility. To pick those and carry them out in. Such a case being. Absolutely, so and they will not break one of those key rules is not only preferable, but, all quli the best moral, action, let's. Humanize, it though say, we will launch a man ship instead with a crew not, folks we've ace from both or anything regular. Astronauts, who entered a program voluntarily. And, enthusiastically. But. We tell them the final step is they have to submit to indoctrination. To follow certain guidelines, very. Extreme, indoctrination, essentially. Unbreakable, not, weode or secret guidelines either once, they've been taught about during. The entire program, they, don't have to submit to the indoctrination but, they don't get on that ship, if they don't no, other coercion, they might get picked for another program they can leave for a new career they, won't be blackballed, or marked for refusing, but, no indoctrination. No, voyage, we've. Decided we simply can't risk sending out explorers. Who might however unlikely, decide, that the plant they found out there with life on it should be conquered, sterilized. Or even visited, and, we need to be sure of them because when they are light-years away we, have no way of enforcing that policy, tricky. Ethical case because, it was all voluntary. They, knew what the rules and guidelines for the mission wore from day one and agreed to follow them and eh don't you trust me defense isn't, exactly, reasonable, because it's not them arriving, at that alien planet it's them spending, a big chunk of their life in stressful, travelling conditions in isolation, before arriving, there if. I send a bunch of CONUS off for 40 year journey to, colonize Alpha Centauri but, with the caveat, that if they find so much as a microbe, on that planet, they ought to scrap that plan, I'm, going to have my doubts about if they'll stick to that this. Is the problem we, know the mind is programmable. At least to some extent and, we, know we'll get better at it and we, know there are some very good reasons to employ it ethically. I would, much rather tell, a kleptomaniac, that, they could just be brainwashed, into not wanting a steal anymore and, go home tomorrow then, stick them in a cage for a year an expensive. Cage - and. So long as they've been given a choice and both choices are reasonable, I don't see the problem a, coercive. Ultimatum, like towing them it would be life in prison or brainwashing. Is different. And so, is an unreasonable, option, like, being brainwashed above, and beyond and negative behavior so, they couldn't lie or do anything selfish, anymore he. Stole and so his option is to take the usual and reasonable. Punishment or, have that specific bit of him adjusted, so he won't repeat that behavior it's. Difficult, to argue his treatment, is unethical, in, such a case tied. Into that we, already do a lot of voluntary, behavior, modification. And while, one can argue about how effective, hypnosis is people, who pay for it generally, assume it is effective, which is what matters for the ethics, of it similarly. Whether, or not a medication, designed, to break an addictive habit is 100%, effective or just, how most folks is not all major concern, there, is not much difference in between taking a pill that makes you inclined to quit smoking and reduce, the urges voice is one that absolutely and, instantly.
Removes The desire entirely. Except. That the latter will, sell a lot better the. Ethical, issue there is if them taking, it was a voluntary and, if it was full ante informed, consent, they, knew what, and all of what it did including. Side effects no. Secret, additional effect of making you ultra loyal to the regime to, some. Folks might want to outlaw that or, these control, it prescription. Only or only administered, by a doctor so, someone couldn't slip it to someone else but, they would certainly be a big market, for such voluntary, mind control most. Of us would still be cause such scenarios, Whaley but, wouldn't call that brainwashing. The, effect was reasonable, and they chose to do it there, was no coercion involved, or at least no unreasonable, caution. For the prisoner, example, we. Have to contemplate high otech scenarios, for this though ants, could to set on more ground walk forced, their you either agree, with the reasoning thus fall and why or do, not and why, not, giving. Someone a scientifically, formulated, aphrodisiac. And giving, them some love potion brewed, up by a medieval which show alchemist is identical. Ethically, if the, person administering them believes, both walk it. Doesn't, matter that the latter is just sucrose, and water any, more than you shooting someone with a gun full, of blanks is, okay if you thought the ammo was genuine, when you pull the trigger that's. Important, to keep in mind because for, instance right, now we, invest a lot of money into marketing and advertising, and that, includes research to make it more effective which, is blatantly, an attempt to influence your behavior and, mind this. Is mostly viewed as ok though as is, just influenced and people. Know they're being influenced. And to what end and why and, they, can resist, it and the folks doing it believe that, to the. Game might be a bit different if some computer, was exactly, telling a message to you as an individual, and with such effectiveness, you had no realistic way, of not doing what they desired, that's. Part of the perceived danger, of various, technological approaches, visited, in science fiction they, all seen as not being resistible, either, because they oh not, all we have no experience, identifying. That method of influence, or countering, it for. Few more clone is an attempt to influence people, but we know it can't detect it obviously. The effect is mild wouldn't easily resisted, if one wishes to but. Many would be different, you might not know you might not be used to it and you, might not be able to resist it even, if you wanted to there. Are so many avenues to, chemicals. Visual, stimuli, pheromones. Hormones. Subliminal, messages and so on indeed. Pretty much anything, connected to your brain to, feed it nutrients, or data can, be used to influence someone's, thinking and the. Higher the bandwidth, the more subtly, or thoroughly. Or quickly, one can do it vision. Is very high bandwidth, millions. Of bytes of data a second, fall, too much for your conscious mind to process and, thus, particularly. Vulnerable to sneaking, something through such, as subliminal, messages, so. Imagine something even, more high bandwidth, and to which we have no neurological. Biological. Or cultural, defense against, this, will be the brainwashing, ray, or direct, implants, into the body the. Typical DNA or RNA in, a microbe, or virus, already, has an awful lot of data in it too so, what tail or virus, or pathogen, need, not be limited to simply screwing with your biochemistry. It could contain images, we. Get an example of something similar in our stro Reynolds novels chasm, city and absolution. Gap with, something called an in doctrinal, virus, that, can infect someone and give them visions, or predispose, them to believe something not, just screw them up chemically, and, you would only have to limit yourself to just one virus either you. Could infect someone with a whole slew of viruses, each containing, different chunks of data we, could also send in nano machines to do such a thing, needless. To say if you've got no implants, already nor, laces, in your head or machines, to augment mind or body you. Are even more vulnerable to, very high bandwidth, attacks such, as neural hacking, and your, brain is quite susceptible to electromagnetism. So, while the brain controlling rays or fields of classic sci-fi are rather, naive, about the implied complexity. It is, probably, possible, we. Do want to be careful though because these new methods, aren't necessarily, any more dangerous than existing, ones except. In being unfamiliar, and Moore's investigated, we, can get familiar with them and our defenses can be sophisticated too, we've. Been dealing with felis of mind-control drugs, or devices for generations, and with computer viruses for decades, and, while those are legitimate concerns.
Nobody's. Brainwashed, everyone, or hacked, everyone's computers, so far defense. Has been slow to improve, but it has kept up it's. Likely to be a big market in the future though you. Buy things to enhance the mind or improve it hardware, or software and. You, buy things to protect the mind and people, will tend to avoid a lot of new technology. Till it's been tested out they are walking for a while you. Might want the newest and best brain enhancing devices, but hesitate, because of cost and unknown risks, you, don't want the buggy or vulnerable, new stuff or to be offline waiting, for a patch. Beyond. That we have the concern of something radically, new getting, in before we can defend against, it or, something, developed, and deployed in secret by some shadowy, group but, will mostly boyd about the slippery, slope of good, intentions. That's. A very legitimate, concern and the, scariest part about it is that technology is, dangerous, and, brainwashing. Is actually, one of the best defenses, against. Dangerous, tech as an. Example one of our big concerns is. Someone might develop a way to make nanotech, or 3d, printers or replicators, that can make just about anything, from a blueprint so. Someone could make a doomsday device or, super, virus in their basement, any. Crazy single lunatic, could, wreak havoc on us or even destroy us all just. One lone wolf if. A shadowy group or totalitarian government. Controlling us is a threat, alesis, usually assumed to be somewhat, sane just, villainous, but, we've no shortage of individuals, who are crazy and the idea that any one of them might kill us all could, drive a society, to want to limit such technologies. The. Alternative, to such limits on tech is limits, on minds instead. Imagine. If we felt the only way to keep us all safe would, be to all get mind scan for dangerous, tendencies, and controlled. To prevent them, these. Could still be somewhat voluntary, and customizable. - you. Might get everyone an implant, prevented them from engaging in mass morale but, you might let folks pick between a range of options, instead and based on their security risk, you, can't law in certain Sciences, without agreeing to be conditioned, against using them for certain purposes, or teaching, them to others without permission you.
Cannot Operate a 3d printer or trained to use one without agreeing to be conditioned, not to use make, or distribute, banned or restricted templates, you. Might get to select between being, conditioned, to be nonviolent, or being able to pick instead to have your mind scant occasionally, for instability, or be, followed by a drone that watches, you some. Folks might before conditioning, to not do something they, really don't want to do anyway if that exempted. Them from privacy, intrusions, this. Raises the slippery slope issue even. Assuming such a civilization isn't, already off the cliff and over, the more event horizon, but, also raises, one of the weirder for me paradox, solutions, with. The Fermi paradox the. Question of why the universe, seems absent, of other intelligent life even, though it is ancient and immense we, always have a problem why civilizations. Don't spread out common. Suggestions, are that they can't because, space travel, might be impractical. Or because, civilizations. Kill themselves, off or, because, intelligence. Is just super, rail, alternatives. Tend to focus on why civilization. Might not want to spread out to the galaxy, a point. I once raised in discussing this is that it doesn't matter if most people in a civilization. Don't want to colonize the galaxy because. Some, of them probably will and if, it is practical, to do so then, it only takes a handful, of people in a civilization, any civilization, to, colonize, the whole galaxy, unless. You are willing to flat-out blow, up any county ship that tries to head out of your system it really doesn't matter if most of your people don't want to colonize, the galaxy but. If your civilization feels, that limited my control, is the only way to keep everyone safe colonization. Could, get to be rather dangerous to, you all. Those folks elsewhere separated. By decades, or centuries of light lag or hold, to model, or reinforce, the conditioning if, it weakens or to do anything about it if they skip off-track, remember. This could be a real danger, too, it's possible, just one, person, could make a doomsday device you can't defend against, and, such a thing could be manufactured, at Alpha Centauri and sent, back to auth - one. Colonist breaking their conditioning, might be able to walk over to the Kony's 3d printer and a, minute later have a device that lets them take over their whole colony, and send back a genocidal Almada, - authe and all its colonies, -. Alternatively. A solar, system is a big, place and we've, seen how many people you can put in one and how long you can extend a lifetime, of a Sun or protect, yourself from natural, threats you. Might feel that is more than enough and more than safe enough and, if such technologies, exist they, mess with our exclusivity, issue with the Fermi paradox, we. Often toss out for me paradox, solutions, not because it's improbable, a civilization, might do something but, because it's improbable, every. Civilization, would space. Travel wouldn't seem exclusively. Limited to peace-loving aliens. Who dislike me in primitive cultures or, don't, like to interfere with them so, solutions, reliance, on aliens, stay away from Earth out of disinterest, or principle, non-interference. Don't, walk well even, though many would probably do one or both, however. If technologies. Exist which are ultra dangerous, and can be easily created, by any one person that's. A threat every, civilization, would have to deal with and not, me solutions come to mind indeed. That would seem like your options, are extinction, or mind, control though, I would imagine or at least hope that there were some alternatives.
If, They are war not you. Might easily have a universe, that was full of nothing but isolated, mind controlled Ward's as islands, in a vast or sea of empty or dead ones, nobody. Expands, out much for safety and nobody. Talks much because there's not much to gain from doing so, it, does, enhance risk, including. The risk that another civilization might, think your seed two controllers weren't good enough and, come by to enhance, it with better mind control of their own or, just wipe you out the. Potential gain new, technologies. And new ideas new. Science, or art or philosophies, where we tend to view as the big boon of meeting a new civilization, is, probably not very attractive to them since, those could rock they're very fragile boat, I don't. Think this scenario, is too likely indeed, I tend to suspect that we will constantly be improving all, of our countermeasures. For dangerous, new technology, right along with that new technology, but, it drives home the point that mind-controlling, technology, is potentially. Very seductive, even, to civilizations. That are pretty benevolent, and free, of corruption even. Annoying how easy it is a slide into, a totalitarian. Police state or ironically. Even worse a totalitarian. State that, doesn't need police any more it's. A really scary thought and for, that reason one, popular, one fiction foam, films like Clockwork, Orange - books like la vie is the giver or Huxley's, brave new world, or sci-fi, episodes, like Star Trek the next generations, chains of command or, Blake 7 we, see a lot of authoritarian. Dystopias. That, use such methods and, often. Arising, from good intentions, the. Big brother of all these fictional walks though the one that inspires so many others and tomans we regularly use nowadays like, Big Brother is George, Orwell's, 1984, and. It really paints a portrait of how you don't even need sophisticated, technology. Or, a contrived, plot for, how the grim authoritarian. Essentially, invincible, police state can arise I, also, find it rather grimly, amusing, that the book has often been banned, in various times and places as subversive. Or corrupting. A very. Influential, walk as mentioned, and when adapted, to film or TV quite, a few times often, quite well - though, as usual the book is better if you haven't read it I certainly recommend, doing so and you can pick up a free copy of 1984. Today just, use my link in the episodes description, audible.com. Slash, Isaak, or text, Isaac - 500, - 500 to, get a free book and a 30-day free trial, and that book is yours to keep, whether you stay on with audible or not. So. A pretty grim topic today but an important, one next. Week we'll be looking at something rather more upbeat as. We start off the earth 2.0. Series, by, looking at see studying. Making artificial, islands and we'll, move on a couple weeks later to explore Depot seized with, colonizing. The oceans before. That though we, were toned the generation, ship series to, contemplate, how you would keep a cultural, strong and stable on such, a ship over the mini millennia it might need to exist to achieve its mission and just. How long such a ship could be deployed in all. Of a million years as, a. Last, note we've talked to occasionally of doing an end of the month livestream for Q&A and we'll be doing our first one this upcoming Sunday, September 30th. At 2:00 p.m. Eastern, 1800. UTC will. Continue during a monthly livestream after that there will figure out the time dates, and show format as we go for. This first time though it will be this Sunday afternoon and I hope to see you then. Fool, Louis when those and other episodes come out make, sure to subscribe to the channel and hit, the notifications. Bell and if, you enjoyed this episode please hit the like button and share with others, until. Next time thanks, for watching and have a great week. You.
2018-09-28