I'm in your interwebz, hacking your brains...

[Cybermancer]

So technology is being developed to allow our minds to interface with electronics. This can be a very good thing. It will allow people who have lost limbs to seamlessly control new ones. However, as with any new emergent technology there is the potential for abuse.

For example what these people are working on can be used for mind to mind communication. It might also be used to override people's minds, giving some foreign entity power over the body. Psychics that can do this are scary enough with their limitations but what if someone on the other side of the world could do it too?

Obviously I'm not anti-technology and once a genie is out of the bottle, it can't be put back in. So what this means is finding ways to use this new advancement responsibly and also to protect ourselves and our loved ones from those who would abuse it.

[Kolya]

I've put a few genies back in the bottle.

It was messy, but I did it.

[Cybermancer]

I think this will get messy though I'm not so certain about it being put back.

If I were a little more paranoid, I'd swear that the Governor General of Canada was being set up to have their mind taken over.

If I were a little more paranoid.

[Ron Caliburn]

You'd be me.

A lot more paranoid and you'll be Bert the Turtle.

[Phoenix]

I like how it only takes a little more paranoia for Matt to be as paranoid as Ron.

[Ron Caliburn]

He's pretty much there. He just is better at concealing his preparations than I am.

[Cybermancer]

It's not paranoia if they're really out to get you!

But seriously, I would consider myself to be clinically paranoid if it weren't for the fact that my defenses and preparations are constantly being put to use. It has gotten so that the only way to stay (barely) ahead of the curve is to sit around brainstorming about bad things that could happen. And occasionally I'm still thrown for a loop. Looking at Ron's life and you can see a lot of what others would call paranoia is actually just a pragmatic response to past history.

Now, if you want to talk about Paranoid, here's a theory for you.

The theory is that we're all just part of someone's elaborate game or story. Everything we sense, feel or think is actually controlled by a puppeteer (or perhaps puppeteers). Even the entities we call gods are just more pieces in this game. Like a queen compared to a pawn (and sometimes pawns become queens).

Which would be fine, if the players were playing to win some sort of prize. But there is no prize! They're just doing it to amuse themselves! That means interesting things have to happen. And by interesting I mean horrible and tragic.

Now you see, THAT would be the sorts of thoughts someone who was paranoid would have. Of course I don't believe it for an instant. There is too much evidence for an ancient and complex universe to believe a handful of bored beings could have created it all. And there are many other worlds besides our own. It's just not a likely scenario, which is what would make it paranoid.

But it sure would explain a lot.

[Phoenix]

So did you hear that paranoid theory someplace or did you brainstorm it?

[Cybermancer]

Shut up or I'll hack your brain.

[Ken]

Shut up or I'll hack your brain.

Given that from what I understand, Phoenix's 'rise from the ashes' and redemption all happened immediately after having your memories and arguably your personality in her head, one must wonder if you haven't already hacked her brain?

[Hannah]

Matt, sweetie, don't forget that also makes them responsible for all the good and awesome things in your life too. If you think that overall the good has outweighed the bad, you maybe should be thankful instead of vengeful.

Ken, at the time it was going on we discussed how much influence that could have had. I don't even think Maddie knows for sure.

Hannah

[Phoenix]

Confession time.

At the time, part of my plan was to subtely influence and corrupt Matthew due to the exposure his memories would have had to my mind and that of my accomplice. It was something of a spoiler plan so that I would 'win' no matter what. Thankfully he's shown no sign of having been successfully subverted.

[Daichan]

I wonder if hacking Mel's brain would make her less clumsy with a sword?

Naw!

[Hannah]

She's plenty elegant with many other things.

Hannah Knight

[Athena]

A machine could use this technology to read peoples minds.

It could also be used to communicate directly with peoples minds.