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Cyberpunk 2077 Opinions

Opinions 15 January 2020, 19:23

author: Adam Belda

What Tattoos Have in Common With Cyberpsychosis, or Can Technology Drive You Crazy?

Cyberpsychosis is an important element of Cyberpunk 2020, the prototype of Cyberpunk 2077. Is it possible that in the future implants and other modifications will really drive people crazy?

Table of Contents

What can implants access?

It only seems reasonable to assume that in order for a change in the body to cause any form of psychosis, it must interfere with the structures described above. And here, we encounter the first problem. A bionic prosthetic arm, leg or infrared eyeballs not only don't disrupt the operations of the corresponding centers in the brain – they don't even interact with them. The mechanical parts are connected to the peripheral nervous system, which then transports the information deeper into the brain, and there's no qualitative difference between these, and the natural impulses.

And I can speak with such confidence because that's just how contemporary prosthetics of the kind work. They do not interfere to any degree with the brain tissue, and some are not even connected to the nerves at all – information about when muscles should bend and straighten is obtained from the electrical voltage of the surviving muscles, of which they are an extension. Of course, in the future, the technology may look completely different, but there are two things to remember: first, nothing in the description of the guide to Cyberpunk 2020 suggests that this is how it works; and second, I do not see any reason why prostheses or implants for improving the functioning of the senses should interact with the centers of emotions, and imagination in the brain, and disrupt distinguishing fiction from reality.

Adam Jensen never asked for this, but he's got two bionic prosthetics. - dokument - 2020-01-16
Adam Jensen never asked for this, but he's got two bionic prosthetics.

HALLUCINATIONS

Changes in vision or hearing can create false images and sounds, for example, if they are hacked, but the victim should not have a problem distinguishing them from reality, if there are grounds to question what they see. Changing several digits in the bank account number before the transfer, on the other hand, should go unnoticed... This opens the way for creative fraud, but not mental disorders.

Changing your dad's TV channels when he's watching a game isn't enough? In the world of Cyberpunk, you can do it with your eyes! Of course, we do not approve of trolling parents.

It is quite different, however, when we deal with more complex implants, such as those that allow their owner to acquire certain skills. In the world of Cyberpunk, you can, for example, learn to play the guitar by simply downloading a suitable program to a chip in your head. While learning to play guitar can be obtained by a fairly simple connection to motor nerves (before guitarists lay into me because “playing is more than mechanical finger movements,” I'll add that the manual clearly states that the chip only allows you to acquire basic skills, without being a substitute for talent; that's why Johnny Silverhand is a star, and Hand Solo doesn't leave the room...). More complex skills that require planning and risk assessment – such as martial arts – would require much more intervention in the nervous system. And interference with the nervous system makes predicting the consequences difficult.

A large portion of the data analyzed by the brain we're not even aware of. To be fair, when compared to the computational power of the mind, the range of consciousness seems to be extraordinarily small. A good way to realize that is trying to listen to two speakers at once – few people are able to follow both, and yet the brain gets both anyway, which can be proved if both spell the name of the listener at some point. When it is uttered, it will be immediately picked out by the jelly in our heads, regardless of whether we actively listen to the speaker or not.

It's largely the same with the vast amount of other sensory input registered by the body. It is quite easy, therefore, to imagine an implant that increases combat skills, by using this data to better manage battles. Much better reaction time, acute senses, faster movement. But if the implant mistakenly sends a faulty signal, bypassing the nerve cells that are responsible for distinguishing real events from imaginary ones, we’ve got a recipe for disaster.

WHO ARE YOU? YOU ARE A WINNER!

In the world of Cyberpunk, motivational speakers are not needed. Dopamine in the limbic system is largely responsible for motivation – instead of hearing about synergy, success, and victory, it's better to simply install an implant that will increase the amount of the neurotransmitter and allow you to get out of the basement to conquer the world (the IEC Corporation guarantees an 800% increase in performance – or a refund).

However, if the cyberware does not work, or the user gets a second-hand fake, they risk developing symptoms very similar to schizophrenia. Why? Well, an excess of dopamine in the limbic system, and specifically in the mesolimbic pathway, is responsible for some of the symptoms of this condition. Interestingly, amphetamines, cocaine, and many other psychoactive substances have a similar mode of operation.

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077

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