this post was submitted on 18 Aug 2023
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Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.

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The information would probably be delivered raw into our minds. We'd just know what time it is, what the weather will be, who's calling us and what the news are saying, without having to process the information.

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[–] [email protected] 36 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Indeed not. You would get unskippable ads first.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Not unskippable, un-autoembedable.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Yes. Put the ads directly into my subconscious. Lovely idea!

[–] hypnotoad 16 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The scary part is how many people just don't seem to care. Hey, did you know you can get cheap bullshit on Temu? The idea that you'll one day have to compete for your job with someone with an implant is scary, not for them because they signed up at betterhelp.com to have a professional talk them off a ledge once a week. Hopefully they won't be much of a threat because of all the single people in their area. Also, boner pills anyone?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Futurama was at least nice enough to use some waves to beam ads into dreams. No brain interface required.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It’s the likely eventuality, but it’ll be a long road to get there. The beta testing is going to be wild.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If it bugs out all you will think is the word spaghetti

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

So an average morning pre-coffee (for the routine, not the caffeine).

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Honestly I don't think this is the way tech is going to go. Will it be possible? Almost surely. Will the average person get it? I seriously doubt it. I think it's going to be one of those technologies that people talk about, that the tech bros hype up, but when it comes to real world implementation, I think most people would skip it for something a little more detachable. Ar glasses/contacts maybe. But actually having a surgical procedure to implement something like this seems unlikely to me.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What are the possible benefits of an integrated system as opposed to a removable one? That, will be the deciding factor, I think.

What would separate the contact lens users from the brainchip users, and how dramatic will the differences in capability be?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

IMO if we ever get to a point that pulling information from the Internet is as simple as "remembering" it the same way we remember any other information, that could have both significant advantages over having to first read the data visually to ingest it, and terrifying potential to implant "facts" into someones mind.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Agreed. It'll be like Ghost In The Shell. False memories, even entire false identities will be implantable. Instantaneous brainwashing completely possible.

Hm, I wonder if people will voluntarily give up some of their time/autonomy to alternative injected identities for money/power, sort of like the show Severance, or the people working as dolls in Cyberpunk.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

You know that Apple will release a new iBrain every year to squeeze every last dollar out of their customers.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

The ultimate translator. Being able to read and send data to a human brain directly bypassing external sensory organs.. The creation of a Neural/cyber interface will be a double edged sword. While it means that a lot of data can be input directly into the brain, it will also mean data (memories) (possibly) can be read and/or manipulated.. Nobel and Oppenheimer would have nothing on those who could pull this off.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I wonder if hyperphants will still receive information in whatever senses they have overactive imagination in.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I have aphantasia, so I’m curious what the experience would be like for that as well.

Like if the whole thing is designed to evoke mental imagery rather than actual sight, what happens to those who don’t have that ability?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Maybe we aphantisians will get a version with mental voice narration instead of mental images, much like visual blind people have today for visual media and information.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I wonder how bad that would be when competing with the inner monologue.. cuz my brain talks to me a lot.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

It could create a really bad loop of the inner monologue and the implant voice interacting and discussing with each other.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I imagine the information would come to you same as any thought

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Maybe, but if it’s designed for a brain that works “normally”, the way a thought “works” (or is served up) might be incompatible.

For example, consider the prevalence of the phrase “close your eyes and picture X”, particularly in meditation and other relaxation techniques. I am incapable of doing this exercise (and for most of my life I was very confused by the phrase). Most people, from what I’ve been able to gather, are incapable of imagining a world without that inner picture, so why would they make the interface work for that deficit?