This just in! Scientists at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have demonstrated successfully that they can not only slow down the speed of light, but also increase it beyond the universal constant 'c'. This is tremendous news, not only for the telecommunication and microprocessor industry, but also because it motivates similar lines of thinking in other areas.
Imagine for a moment if we could control the speed of thoughts. An electro-enzymatic gadget embedded in our inner cortex, controlled using a specific thought controlled neural circuit. This would be the next big thing after nano-tubules and aerogel! This device could usher the age of docility and good relationships!
If we could speed up our thoughts, we could see more people solve complex problems quickly. Slow learners could catch up with the rest of the crowd. People could think "on their feet", and think their way out of tight spots. Scientists could find patterns in the world that they previously lacked the "processing power" to do before. Basically, humans would now be able to perform activities, as if fitted with a faster processor!
Now, if we could slow down our thoughts, then we could have more time to react to an insult. Impulse driven, adrenaline induced, emotionally charged actions will instead give way to thoughtful speech and actions. Surges of rage will now be less as intense affecting directly the quality of relationships. Virtues like compassion, respect, selflessness, empathy will become more pronounced in society. Just like missile tracking technology, we would have time to analyze the path of a thought and prevent any destruction that may lie in it's path.
Slowing down our thoughts would also allow other thoughts to get "scheduled" in the brain for processing, allowing us to analyze our thoughts clearly. Creation of new thoughts will happen more frequently as obsessive thoughts have been slowed down enough. In essence we could have highly effective thought monitors in the brain that monitor, profile and prevent thoughts from crashing, and preventing a debilitating brain-freeze! (forgive the analogy between multi-threading, process scheduling and kernel crashes, but thats an occupational hazard!)
This technology would also allow us to control the speed of individual thoughts. Thats like having a media-player-like interface to thoughts. Controls like "pause", "half speed", "fast forward", "next track" etc will now be available per thought. We will be able to select which thoughts we want to progress, and retard the development of certain other thoughts.
A very scary thought is if the government creates and enforces a "thought control" policy, where certain thoughts are censored, and others are encouraged, there is a speed limit for thoughts, and zones, where certain thoughts are not allowed. Of course, the government will certainly censor this scary thought the first! Lets hope that the government doesn't enforce mandatory thought control on its population. Well, maybe just the delinquents and law-breakers!
What if now, we could now control individual thoughts by programming such policies into the device. We could then have a XML configuration script that looks like the following sample script :
Lets now attempt a thought exercise (forgive the pun). Thought "Tai Chi", and Thought “weight training”. Energizing the thoughts by slowly and consciously allowing thoughts to flow, and guiding them along certain paths. By Weight-training, we can strengthen thoughts by strenuous activity. Of course one could achieve the same effect by meditation and calculus! Using the device for thought "workouts" will be like using machines instead of free-weights!
Let us reduce the speed of thoughts even further. Standstill thoughts. Or rather, no active thoughts coursing through your brain. This state of mind is rather rare, and very powerful. If one was able to shut of thoughts as wanted, peace of mind would not remain a pipe dream anymore. Deep, dreamless sleep would be just a button-click away. Anxiety, restlessness, worry, tension, anger and other Pandora's box's psycho-disruptive residents will be boxed -- once more. Psychosomatic diseases will essentially disappear. Everyone except Pandora will be happy!
For centuries, ancient Indian sages have used a technique to control the speed of thoughts, that DARPA will not fund as a research proposal any time soon! Meditation and yoga. Meditation has been maligned by misinformed practitioners. In this age of Razars, IPods and Tivos, meditation has become a status symbol. Many believe that meditation and yoga is just oriental occultism, others believe its Hollywood hocus-pocus. In reality, its a powerful technique to control one's thoughts. If practiced correctly and passionately, this century might be the one in which humans progress the most – not towards Jupiter and space colonies – towards peace of mind and happiness.
In the final stages of mediation, the expert practitioner can slow down not only individual thoughts, but also the rate of their creation. It's the ultimate mind-body control through thought. Hunger, thirst, pain, emotions, disease etc are just the physical manifestation of thought. Meditation also allows one to peer deep into one's subconscious without being distracted by flocks of fleeting thoughts. Thoughts are like ripples on the surface of the mind, without which one can peer deep into the depths of a calm mind.
So, as part of the exercise routine, we could strengthen thoughts and even stop them altogether. Not that this is easy ... its one of the most difficult things one could attempt. But the attempt itself, even if unsuccessful, will teach a lot. It will gives insight not only into the attributes of individual thoughts, but the chain of thoughts that lead to it. The metamorphosis of one thought into another, and the evolution of distinct thoughts is clearly visible. So, even if we are unable to stop all thought, we will still be able to predict the direction of evolution, and guide it. This ability is quite a powerful tool to posses!
So, let us all give some thought to this “control", and some “control” to these thoughts.
Imagine for a moment if we could control the speed of thoughts. An electro-enzymatic gadget embedded in our inner cortex, controlled using a specific thought controlled neural circuit. This would be the next big thing after nano-tubules and aerogel! This device could usher the age of docility and good relationships!
If we could speed up our thoughts, we could see more people solve complex problems quickly. Slow learners could catch up with the rest of the crowd. People could think "on their feet", and think their way out of tight spots. Scientists could find patterns in the world that they previously lacked the "processing power" to do before. Basically, humans would now be able to perform activities, as if fitted with a faster processor!
Now, if we could slow down our thoughts, then we could have more time to react to an insult. Impulse driven, adrenaline induced, emotionally charged actions will instead give way to thoughtful speech and actions. Surges of rage will now be less as intense affecting directly the quality of relationships. Virtues like compassion, respect, selflessness, empathy will become more pronounced in society. Just like missile tracking technology, we would have time to analyze the path of a thought and prevent any destruction that may lie in it's path.
Slowing down our thoughts would also allow other thoughts to get "scheduled" in the brain for processing, allowing us to analyze our thoughts clearly. Creation of new thoughts will happen more frequently as obsessive thoughts have been slowed down enough. In essence we could have highly effective thought monitors in the brain that monitor, profile and prevent thoughts from crashing, and preventing a debilitating brain-freeze! (forgive the analogy between multi-threading, process scheduling and kernel crashes, but thats an occupational hazard!)
This technology would also allow us to control the speed of individual thoughts. Thats like having a media-player-like interface to thoughts. Controls like "pause", "half speed", "fast forward", "next track" etc will now be available per thought. We will be able to select which thoughts we want to progress, and retard the development of certain other thoughts.
A very scary thought is if the government creates and enforces a "thought control" policy, where certain thoughts are censored, and others are encouraged, there is a speed limit for thoughts, and zones, where certain thoughts are not allowed. Of course, the government will certainly censor this scary thought the first! Lets hope that the government doesn't enforce mandatory thought control on its population. Well, maybe just the delinquents and law-breakers!
What if now, we could now control individual thoughts by programming such policies into the device. We could then have a XML configuration script that looks like the following sample script :
<thoughts>
<encourage>
happy thoughts, erotic thoughts, lazy thoughts,
creative thoughts
</encourage>
<discourage>
studious thoughts, helpful thoughts, selfless thoughts,
depressive thoughts
</discourage>
</thoughts>
I think this device will need parental control! Talk about meta-control!Lets now attempt a thought exercise (forgive the pun). Thought "Tai Chi", and Thought “weight training”. Energizing the thoughts by slowly and consciously allowing thoughts to flow, and guiding them along certain paths. By Weight-training, we can strengthen thoughts by strenuous activity. Of course one could achieve the same effect by meditation and calculus! Using the device for thought "workouts" will be like using machines instead of free-weights!
Let us reduce the speed of thoughts even further. Standstill thoughts. Or rather, no active thoughts coursing through your brain. This state of mind is rather rare, and very powerful. If one was able to shut of thoughts as wanted, peace of mind would not remain a pipe dream anymore. Deep, dreamless sleep would be just a button-click away. Anxiety, restlessness, worry, tension, anger and other Pandora's box's psycho-disruptive residents will be boxed -- once more. Psychosomatic diseases will essentially disappear. Everyone except Pandora will be happy!
For centuries, ancient Indian sages have used a technique to control the speed of thoughts, that DARPA will not fund as a research proposal any time soon! Meditation and yoga. Meditation has been maligned by misinformed practitioners. In this age of Razars, IPods and Tivos, meditation has become a status symbol. Many believe that meditation and yoga is just oriental occultism, others believe its Hollywood hocus-pocus. In reality, its a powerful technique to control one's thoughts. If practiced correctly and passionately, this century might be the one in which humans progress the most – not towards Jupiter and space colonies – towards peace of mind and happiness.
In the final stages of mediation, the expert practitioner can slow down not only individual thoughts, but also the rate of their creation. It's the ultimate mind-body control through thought. Hunger, thirst, pain, emotions, disease etc are just the physical manifestation of thought. Meditation also allows one to peer deep into one's subconscious without being distracted by flocks of fleeting thoughts. Thoughts are like ripples on the surface of the mind, without which one can peer deep into the depths of a calm mind.
So, as part of the exercise routine, we could strengthen thoughts and even stop them altogether. Not that this is easy ... its one of the most difficult things one could attempt. But the attempt itself, even if unsuccessful, will teach a lot. It will gives insight not only into the attributes of individual thoughts, but the chain of thoughts that lead to it. The metamorphosis of one thought into another, and the evolution of distinct thoughts is clearly visible. So, even if we are unable to stop all thought, we will still be able to predict the direction of evolution, and guide it. This ability is quite a powerful tool to posses!
So, let us all give some thought to this “control", and some “control” to these thoughts.
Deeeep deeep thinking... one thing's for sure, more thoughts like this will come into existence if thinking was a controlled process, so you should be happy to know you are one step closer to it !.
ReplyDeleteYou bring out a subtle point that is lost on us techno prone humans. We have been led to believe that technology will help get our work done faster and thereby give us more time for ourselves. On the contrary, I think we are spending more and more time with these tech toys and end up never getting quality time for ourselves. Though, if we make a concious effort, everyone of us can live a fuller life.
ReplyDeleteI think the question that we have stopped asking ourselves is "What do I really want?"