What if people became telepathic?

In one of my sci-fi novels (not yet released), I dabble in telepathy. It's a fascinating concept, especially when you reel it out and look at it closely.

In the movies, we see telepaths sending a thought to someone else. Is that "reading a person's mind"? If it is, I'm not impressed. We'll soon have our communication technology implanted, so we can always send a thought to someone. We call that a "phone call". So that kind of telepathy gets a meh from me.

But what would it mean if some technological miracle allowed people to truly share people's thoughts, to hear how they think and discover what they're thinking about? People would find this hugely threatening. Everyone has thoughts they're ashamed of. Everyone's done something they don't want others to know about. Total mental access? Most would find it abhorrent.

But what if telepathy was forced on everyone through technological advances -- all in the same instant? Yes, they'd initially be horrified at their mental exposure -- but in the long run, would people learn that everyone is basically the same no matter what they look like, what they wear or how many buildings and companies they own? Would it bring humanity together by brute telepathic force?

There might be an added bonus. The vicious people of the world might not be able to survive in such an environment. Once others could see into their dark hearts, they would be scorned by virtually everyone. They might even be pushed into becoming decent people by the force of opprobrium directed their way by the telepathic mob.

Does this sound familiar? (Think of the way social networking is driving the news today. Ray Rice, anyone? Adrian Peterson? Roger Goodell? Without social networking, their sins would remain hidden, or be brushed aside by the powers that be. Make no mistake about it: social networks are driving the American story right now.)

What will happen when telepathic social networks become the norm? I'll bet it's in the cards.

PS: Sorry to be absent from the blog but I'm recovering from hernia surgery. Hurts a lot, even with oxycodone. But if the surgery fixes the problem, I'm willing to put up with it. I'll be back soon.

Modern life offers odd choice

Okay, so I'm going to have this operation in a week or two. This week, I went to the doc for a pre-surgery appointment and he told me I have to make a choice -- though no matter what I choose, the outcome will be identical. That's how he introduced the topic to me.

I can choose to be "semi-conscious" for the surgery, or I can be unconscious from beginning to end. The choice he's offering may be familiar to some of you. An anesthesiologist can give me a drug that will allow me to be conscious during the procedure but will also cause retroactive amnesia that eliminates any memory of the event. The other choice is to let them put me out before the procedure begins. But as the doctor pointed out - either way, I won't remember anything.

That's so strange. Mind you, those of us who've had an endoscopy or colonoscopy are familiar with this drug. (I don't know the name of the drug; sorry.) In both procedures, you're present at the beginning, but afterward you don't recall what happened. (At least, that's the way it's supposed to work. My brother-in-law remembers every nasty bit of his endoscopy.)

It's a bizarre choice. Should I remain conscious as they're cutting up my abdomen? Doesn't sound too bad to me. Kinda fun, actually. But what would be the point? I wouldn't remember it afterward. It's like putting yourself through something for no reason at all. So I guess I'll opt for unconsciousness. What the hell, right?

When I had an endoscopy (where they stick a long, long tube in your mouth and down your throat, to look inside your stomach), I recall the doctor holding the plastic tubing in his hand and saying, "Now, I'm going to ask you to swallow this and keep on swallowing. It might be uncomfortable." I said, in my best Bea Arthur voice, "I'm gay. Just stick it in!" That's the last thing I remember. I can't recall swallowing it.

Anyone have a story about their experience with this retroactive amnesia drug? Weird stuff.