02-11-2020, 04:12 AM
(02-11-2020, 03:49 AM)Jargal Wrote:(02-11-2020, 03:34 AM)stevebowers Wrote: Any depopulated colony should be treated with caution, since some of these depopulations may have happened as the result of very well-hidden and subtle attacks using advanced weapons, including (but not limited to) memetic weapons.
The power of memetics is a thing that I don't quite understand in OA. If I don't come in the direct DNI contact with any digital remains - how big the risk is?
Memetics in OA is basically propaganda, advertising, and brainwashing refined to a science, fed steroids, and cranked to 11 all at the same time.
In terms of how dangerous it could be - If you consider the results of Al Queda, ISIS, various cults that got their members to mass suicide, mass consumption culture, various darker episodes in various religions, and various hard core nationalist movements in any way harmful - think about the results if their ability to convert and motivate followers was increased to be 10, 100, or 1000x more effective.
DNI isn't necessary for infection/subversion via memetics - it's just one of many possible channels.
Todd