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Deborah Gregson's avatar

Well, I didn't "like" it, I was horrified and speechless. I'm not often left without words. I think of the movie Minority Report as our police state becomes more dictatorial. This is the next step beyond. They may soon implant and adjust our brains when we're born.

A related concern I've had for a few years. My mom was a quadriplegic. As a result, I met a young man who was also a non-verbal quad due to a brainstem stroke. A few years ago we were able to get him into a study at UCSF (sponsored by Google and the US military) that involves implanting electrodes in his brain which are then hooked up to a computer via external connections (hopefully in the future there will be Bluetooth connections) that allow him to speak through the computer. As he attempts to speak or thinks of speaking, the electrodes send the signal through the connections to the computer which interprets his thoughts into verbal speech. He's been working on this trial going on four years now, and it's been remarkable. He was a Mexican farm worker who only spoke Spanish and after his accident taught himself English. So he can use this device now to speak in Spanish and English, but is now teaching himself French.

Since he started the trial we've only talked about the positives of the work he's doing. But I've been concerned about the negatives, which are that this thing is reading his brain, his thoughts. So it's able to put those on a screen, for others to see. And at what point will it alter those thoughts? With your post and information, we can see where this is going. This isn't about "helping" people, it's about the military. They are the ones providing money for research. It's disturbing. And at the same time millions with ALS, MS, Parkinson's, will be helped. I'm confused.

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Ann Tomoko Rosen's avatar

This is the problem. “Solutions” tethered to pathological agendas. Or more accurately, pathological agendas promising solutions. This is why we need to identify the problems and get our voices in the mix.

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Deborah Gregson's avatar

My voice will be there. It's too important not to warn people.

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Celia Farber's avatar

Excellent work and extremely upsetting, and not surprising. It's hard to know how to "fight," anymore. They got away with everything. I always thought exposure would change things but now I don't know.

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Joseph McMillin's avatar

That’s crazy. I’m glad I was already crazy, meaning I’ve seen the void and the bullshit Tower of Babel for what they are, otherwise this era would’ve driven me nuts. If you can contemplate the worst and deconstruct everything, then at least you can be yours. Maybe next time it’ll be better. I know I’ll say “Once more… send me back.” And the Demiurge will once again poison me the moment I arrive, and the battle will commence again. I don’t know how much time I have left this cycle, but I don’t think I’ve ever made it this far. I’ve found my own tefillin, constructed out of art, pain, dissent, and athleticism. Maybe next time I get to truly arm wrestle with him. Or at least spit my venom in his face on the way out. Maybe not. What a wonderful world. Hallelujah is best expressed with bloodied teeth.

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