Substrate Shock
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Substrate Shock |
When a biological
sentient being is uploaded
into an
electronic substrate, or an already uploaded entity is transferred to a
radically different matrix there is a sense of dislocation, incongruity
and unease. This so-called Substrate Shock is a not-uncommon
psychological affliction amongst a
significant fraction of baselines
(and allegedly higher-rated
intellects) upon changing to a new substrate. It is exacerbated by
radical changes in perception, autonomic functioning, and others.
One of the most common forms are uploads who begin to feel 'hunger
pains' regardless of the autonomic response offered by their
environment. Others include 'pulse lack', 'respiration lack', and
similar radical changes, especially in formerly life-supporting
behaviors.
Most experts suggest returning appropriate sensation via virch or
equivalent setting and slowly weaning the being off of the expected,
prior 'normal' stimuli one at a time. A few suggest that the most
effective treatment for such ailments is massive psychological support
without altering the perception base of the affected being, helping
them get through the crises as they occur via peer support, peer
pressure, and other methods.
Note that not all beings suffer substrate shock, nor is it a solely
meat-to-computronium problem. A significant fraction of computronium
beings expressing individuality in a single format (rather than on an
open computronium field, be this single format a virch or real life)
may suffer similar patterns of panic response of similar pattern. Those
virtual entities which chose to be downloaded
into meat bodies, a
process known as incarnation or embodiment, sometimes have severe
substrate shock symptoms as well.
Common preparatory exercises designed to minimize substrate shock
include virches preprogrammed with the sensorium the being will
experience in the newer form.
Note that early forms of substrate shock were known to be fatal amongst
early uploads and downloads, but all but the most primitive
technological settings have appropriate techniques available to ease
the suffering of such beings.
Additionally, there are some sophonts who consider Substrate Shock to
be directly related to Translation
Metamorphosis, while others
dispute this. Both approaches have had
significant successes in treatments over time.
