From: | Martin Steffens <chimerae@***.IE> |
---|---|
Subject: | Re: Taking Women Seriously / willingness to get bio/cyber |
Date: | Fri, 24 Jul 1998 11:51:50 +0000 |
[instaling bio/cyberware]
> I'm gonna agree here. I think as players and GM's we
> tend to overlook the trauma of having parts added to or removed from you
> body. When your arm gets chopped off that's one thing but just from
> fear? That's a serious emotional problem.
Yeah, well hardly any of the suggested options we discussed here
require much lopping, chopping or mauling.
I cannot predict the acceptance level for mods in 205X apart from
using extrapolations based on current trends, but it's likewise
unrealistic to project current ethics onto acceptance levels in 205X.
There are two things here, first the size and the invasiveness of the
replacement and second the type of replacement. Things like cyberarms
and their ilk will have a higher aversion value in Jane Normal's
eyes, but a relatively small mod, like a datajack can be pretty
normal. It's small, increases your productivity immediately and it
doesn't have much effect essence wise. I can see companies offering
to finance, co-finance, or offer a payment scheme for workers that
want to go for a jack. Same thing with some of the other mods:
memory, math-spu (obligatory for accountants), and of course
softlinks. Fairly invisible, small essence cost, cheap and as far as
I can judge very acceptable.
Likewise I can see specialists being equipped with some of the more
specific cyber: A chemist would benefit greatly from the whole range
of gas spectrometers, chemical analyzers, olfactory boosters,
softlinks to boost her skill sets, etc. Company drivers/pilots, apart
from being bodyguards, get a radio and an orientation unit with high
detail maps to plan escape routes, etc. Corp secretary gets a
Commlink, phone receiver, memory and maybe a noise filter. etc. etc.
There are hundreds of ways which small cyber can be used in
relatively inexpensive ways to enhance the productivity of the
normal employee. Put a clause in their contract that they have to
give it back upon termination of the contract and you have an extra
incentive to keep them in the corporation.
Cyber has to be more common than the 1 in 100 that Bandit reported,
simply because it makes economic sense. And judging from myself I
would be quite happy to get them myself right after 2011 and a magic
test.
Bioware is even less invasive for non-magicians, so instead of
replacing organs, it's just an enhancement. Items like the enhanced
articulation probably are common treatment for arthritis and forms of
rheumatism, mnemonic enhancers could help against Alzheimers (if
there isn't a solution for it already), tracheal filters could be
standard issue in case of inhalation related allergies. The only
acceptance problems I can see are with the obvious combat related
items like orthoskin, adrenal pump, etc. Although in most cases the
mod won't be obvious to the on-looker, those are drastic changes with
definite set backs so a person might think twice before opting for
any of those. But if it wasn't for the high price, people would line
up for a cerebral booster operation, get a few levels of mnemonic
enhancers (oh, what I wouldn't give for those...) and one of the
items to help you fight common diseases. The muscle mod would be a
favourite with the lazy arnie-wannabies again if it wasn't for the
high cost.
These items don't change yourself or the way people look at you, they
just enhance your abilities. And with the discussion today raging
over whether genetics will eventually result in a class of
super-humans (all right Brian, super-(meta)humans in SR's case :P )
it shows that a lot of people realize that once the possibility is
there to modify your kid or yourself into something better, smarter
and perfect looking, there are loads of people who want to do it. And
in my opinion it will be the same with cyber/bioware as long as the
effects are not de-humanizing or have negative side effects.
What it boils down to is of course who can afford it, but the Seattle
book lists at least a bunch of "family style" and "no frills" body
shops, which indicates a fairly general acceptance.
Martin Steffens
chimerae@***.ie