In a message dated 4/16/01 1:26:17 PM Central Daylight Time, asa@nada.kth.se
writes:
> Yes. But how is that different from cellular phones? Should cellular
> phones be regarded as a transhumanizing technology? My answer would
> actually be yes, cellphones change (albeit slightly) what it means to be
> a human, degeographizing us in an interesting way just as datajacks
> would dissolve the interface between man and machine. However, as you
> say the reasons people get this technology in are petty and fairly
> practical. Few people get them as a way of enhancing themselves beyond
> human.
>
> This is where I think SR does not do justice to the possible themes.
> Instead of exploring the meaning of all these enhancements, how the
> human condition is changed by the cyberware (and magic, in this case) it
> mostly uses them as "cool powers".
Well, I think that's the same reason peopole would get them in real life.
Human beings, for the most part, don't deal well with concepts like
Ascension, religion, etc. If and when cyberware becomes common, people will
only use it for practical, petty concerns, or to extend thier lives.
Cool powers, basically. =)
Of course, this is good for the game,
> which is after all about action rather than philosophy, but I enjoy
> games that really asks these kind of questions in addition to the
> action. The problem is of course that few games really do this; this is
> why I'm writing my own scenarios these days.
>
> > And even in the main book there are the important but often
> >neglected or ignored "Skillwires" which let a character plug a chip in,
> >and they can access a skill from that chip, even if they don't actually
> >know it. Kind of like borrowed memories, in a way.
>
> This is a technology that would have enormous effects if used
> effectively. A trivial example would be for a corporation to license a
> library of skills, downloading them to linked employees as needed - no
> need for training and in an emergency everybody can become a fireman or
> security guard instantly. Add some coordination through the net, and
> the secretary pool becomes a formidable opponent for shadowrunners ;-)
Hehe... I just had this mental image of a bunch of harmless looking little
secrataries all pushing a button on thier desk when a Shadowrunner walks in
an starts waving a gun around and telling them to get on the ground... and
then all the Temp-Hires simultaneously reach under thier desks and pull out
automatic weapons...
Sorry. Silly image. I play too many 3D shooter games. =)
>
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