Discussion Would you wirehead instead of CTB if you had the chance?

[FieldsofLavender]

In case you don't know what wireheading is, it's a sci-fi technology where instead of having to live life, you can plug yourself into a machine that keeps you alive while giving you a constant stream of pleasure chemicals. You don't have to do anything, you can just lie down while the machine pumps you full of dopamine and endorphins and whatever else, keeping you in a constant state of bliss until you eventually die (unless the technology can also just keep you alive indefinitely).

 

[exhaustedanonymous]

yes, but no? currently im doing no-contact with the love of my life n she said she *might* come back. if its not permanent i'd wirehead until she decides to wake me up again? i think i could on and off wirehead the way i on and off drug use. for some reason, i don't seem to get addicted to things besides people. the idea of being in a comatose except for when she wants me is actually sort of nice..

 

[color_me_gone]

Wireheading sounds like the ultimate deal, too good to pass up!
Too bad it's sci-fi.
I voted YES!

 

[FieldsofLavender]

Wireheading sounds like the ultimate deal, too good to pass up!
Too bad it's sci-fi.
I voted YES!

In complete honesty, it's not. It's just something that'd be incredibly expensive irl, as someone would have to pay for the constant stream of drugs being poured into your veins every second of every day, ehehe. The main bit that's sci-fi is the ability to just keep it up for people for the rest of their lives.

 

[color_me_gone]

In complete honesty, it's not. It's just something that'd be incredibly expensive irl, as someone would have to pay for the constant stream of drugs being poured into your veins every second of every day, ehehe. The main bit that's sci-fi is the ability to just keep it up for people for the rest of their lives.

Also food, I mean you can't live on drugs alone. Even if it is tube feeding. Plus someone has to maintain your diapers, etc. etc.

 

[FuneralCry]

No, I just want to cease to exist and I simply don't wish to experience anything at all.

 

[Sakura94]

No the story needs to end otherwise it is pointless, without meaning. also if this is possible this tech can do the opposite, infinite pain torture if hijacked which is not good. You know how our species are with retribution/penance and so on please see link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffering_risks.

 

[FieldsofLavender]

No the story needs to end otherwise it is pointless, without meaning. also if this is possible this tech can do the opposite, infinite pain torture if hijacked which is not good. You know how our species are with retribution/penance and so on please see link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffering_risks.

You're right, I never thought about something like that!

 

[yive]

no, it's not failsafe (like any other techno-utopia), and existence has the potential to torture us in every possible way

 

[Sakura94]

You're right, I never thought about something like that!

sadly, always think worst of our species when any new tool is made.

 

[nembutal]

concepts like these are why drugs addiction is so rampant. closest thing that comes to feeling pure and whole all of the time, except for the times you are desperately scavenging your next fix x)

 

[stilhavinightmares]

No the story needs to end otherwise it is pointless, without meaning. also if this is possible this tech can do the opposite, infinite pain torture if hijacked which is not good. You know how our species are with retribution/penance and so on please see link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffering_risks.

Thank you for your comment and sharing this link. Amazing perspective, both you and the wiki article.

 

[Sakura94]

Thank you for your comment and sharing this link. Amazing perspective, both you and the wiki article.

thanks, I always worry about bad things. I like the idea of future tech tho escaping body forever and being with the person I love. Hopefully we get the good tech somehow.

 

[stilhavinightmares]

thanks, I always worry about bad things. I like the idea of future tech tho escaping body forever and being with the person I love. Hopefully we get the good tech somehow.

I hope so too.

 

[ManWithNoName]

In case you don't know what wireheading is, it's a sci-fi technology where instead of having to live life, you can plug yourself into a machine that keeps you alive while giving you a constant stream of pleasure chemicals. You don't have to do anything, you can just lie down while the machine pumps you full of dopamine and endorphins and whatever else, keeping you in a constant state of bliss until you eventually die (unless the technology can also just keep you alive indefinitely).

That sounds different, but where does one get such a device?

 

[WorthlessTrash]

No thanks. I want to live a real happy life instead of some artificial fake shit.

 

[FieldsofLavender]

No thanks. I want to live a real happy life instead of some artificial fake shit.

I'm curious as to why, ehehe! I mean, you would guaranteed to always be feeling better than a "real happy life" could at its highest points! (｡◕.◕｡)

 

[WorthlessTrash]

I'm curious as to why, ehehe! I mean, you would guaranteed to always be feeling better than a "real happy life" could at its highest points! (｡◕.◕｡)

Because you have no control over your life in that state. If you're not living and actually able to do what you want to do, why even exist? This is just a cope.

 

[locked*n*loaded]

Nope, that just keeps me here and I'm done with this place.

 

[wait.what]

I'd rather not be wired up and given drugs for happiness, although technically I have tried ketamine + TMS, which is kinda similar.

The thing that I would worry about most if wireheading existed is that the brain isn't built for eternal bliss. There's a thing called the hedonic set point. For the lack of a better description, the hedonic set point basically selects for a life consisting mostly of striving. Evolution doesn't really have a "why," but it's a reasonable guess to say that creatures who strive are willing to fight for the best food, territory, etc., and sometimes they win. Like pro athletes who "stay a little bit hungry" no matter how successful they get. If all your desires are completely sated, you lie there like a body on a slab, which is not a very sound reproductive strategy.

The hedonic set point keeps you "a little bit hungry" by always setting enduring bliss just beyond your reach. Your brain actually develops a tolerance to endorphins, and begins to demand greater and greater rewards to get the same effect. That's exactly how addictions work, actually. It's not literally the drug or the sex or whatever that is telling you "more, even more, even more than that," it's your own pleasure/reward system.

Some longtime addicts get to the point that there aren't enough drugs in the world to make them feel good. Their reward systems have given up the ghost, and it no longer matters if they're on drugs or not. They feel like shit regardless. Often the brain eventually heals, but sometimes it doesn't. Opiate addicts are especially vulnerable to their drug of choice blowing up their reward systems permanently. They feel like shit forever, like many of us. And like many of us, they shuffle onto that bus. There's nothing else for them to do.

All animals (afaik) have hedonic set points. Even in the more-realistic type of sci-fi, you couldn't reverse-engineer yourself into a lizard or something and beat the hedonic set point. If a thing has a reward system, it probably has a set point.

Trying to hack your brain is a terrible idea. Says the guy who was put on antidepressants as a teenager & is still on them 30+ years later.

Edit: Turns out there's reason @FuneralCry and some of you others don't like existing. Also why "heaven" makes zero sense to me.

 

[StringPuppet]

Honestly, yeah I'd do it if there were no downsides. I only want to die because living is hard and full of suffering, but if living only consisted of bliss then I'd have no reason to die.

 

[LunaXCBN]

Honestly no, that would probably burn my dopamine receptors making life even more unbearable.
You would get used to it to a point where feeling dopamine or anything like that is absolutely fucking impossible. Pass.

 

[Kurushii]

I think it's a nice idea, but even without all things that could and probably would go wrong I wouldn't. Sure I would always be in bliss but I would grow bored of it. I would prefer death since it's guaranteed peace, especially if I can't feel anything.

 

[Zelonis]

No. For over half of my life, I have wanted to die. All I want is to simply cease to exist.