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Comment by daenz | Hacker News Reader

I guarantee that at some point in the future, if we make it far enough, there will be an overwhelming social argument made that everyone should get super integrated brain interface devices implanted, "for the good of everyone." The argument will probably go something like this:

>The brain interface device X smooths out volatile emotions, reducing risk of angry outbursts that result in violence. By not getting a device installed, you are putting everyone at risk to your violent outbursts. Employers and businesses have the right to exclude someone who is at a higher risk of inflicting violence.

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Yep, get a [Brain Passport] for [Public Safety] or be denied public services. Actually, this is something that will likely happen. It will first start with violent criminals and then gradually make its way into the general public - with appropriate cherry-picked data and statistics showing its advantages.

I suspect you're right, and I already don't want this technology to exist, or its creation to be pursued.

A brain-computer interface will, IMO, most likely be used to control brains, not computers.

This unfortunately makes a lot of sense in the current context in which we live, but I am optimistic enough to believe that sometime, somewhere in the world, people will join forces to push back against such use of the technology and in favor of a "free-er" society of individuals.

I like to think of the ideas behind the formation of the USA as a similar spirit.

I would be against it, I'd rather live in a forest and hunt wild rabbits and...

> smooths out volatile emotions

I volunteer!

Seriously, that's how one would buy me. Reduce my emotions? Maybe remove them? Plug me in, buddy :D

If such a brain interface allowed X evil actor to actually control people, you wouldn't have arguments, you'd have a direct takeover (or several different evil actors dueling).

But if this interface was simply like a drug or some similar effect, I doubt there's be enough of a combination of interests to get people on board.

This is reminiscent of the novel Manna [0]

[0]: https://marshallbrain.com/manna1

FWIW I think this is probably many, many decades away from being even possible.

If anything, the argument to get brain interfaces implanted would be that it’s cruel to children not to implant them.

It’d be like withholding a vaccine against a genetic flaw, when the vaccine is cheap and sitting on the shelf ready to use.

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