Brave New World. 9 out of 10 doctors recommend Soma!

[blue]

This creeps me out no end! How long before "Your heart rate indicates stress. I recommend an anti-anxiety medication... Should I submit a perscription request?"

[Bingoccc]

I think that, 50 years from now, things like that will look as quaint as a horse and buggy. Science and engineering are changing so fast that all our interaction with the digital world will be through an implant very soon. We will truly be some type of cyborg.

[jpd]

I remember a Sci-Fi author writing that humanity would be addicted to a drug called Soma in the future....hmmmmmm! Here's a little snap shot of the 20th century escapades......

From the late 1960s onwards, several studies attempted to establish soma as a psychoactive substance. A number of proposals were made, including one in 1968 by the American banker R. Gordon Wasson, an amateur ethnomycologist, who asserted that soma was an inebriant, and suggested fly-agaric mushroom, Amanita muscaria, as the likely candidate. Since its introduction in 1968, this theory has gained both detractors and followers in the anthropological literature.[4]

[harmonics101]

Originally Posted by Bingoccc

I think that, 50 years from now, things like that will look as quaint as a horse and buggy. Science and engineering are changing so fast that all our interaction with the digital world will be through an implant very soon. We will truly be some type of cyborg.

I'm glad I will not be part of that cyborg world,

It's already happening today actually, the only thing missing is the implant part,

H

[teleamp]

Not for me....

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by blue

This creeps me out no end! How long before "Your heart rate indicates stress. I recommend an anti-anxiety medication... Should I submit a perscription request?"

Just...wow. The marketing is atrociously bad, that's for sure. They should figure out if it's pronounced "pee-low" or "pillow"–the announced can't even bring himself to call it "pee-low" as I assume even his pretentious-meter pegged at that point.The idea and the device definitely cause a visceral reaction. Trying to split the device from the absurd script and forced scenarios...maybe there's some good here.

I could absolutely see it helping aging people with memory issues, maybe even loneliness or isolation problems. Not sure I get the learning component, or how that all works. Comes off as creepy and dumb in the spot, but could actually have some use.

Does it need to be a video phone as well as a dispenser and reminder device? That seems forced, why not just use any other device for that component. Again, I think this feels like it's aimed at the aging population, giving them a form factor someone thinks will be more comfortable for them.

I thought it was a spoof for the first few minutes.

[Frogstar]

Originally Posted by jpd

I remember a Sci-Fi author writing that humanity would be addicted to a drug called Soma in the future....hmmmmmm! Here's a little snap shot of the 20th century escapades......

From the late 1960s onwards, several studies attempted to establish soma as a psychoactive substance. A number of proposals were made, including one in 1968 by the American banker R. Gordon Wasson, an amateur ethnomycologist, who asserted that soma was an inebriant, and suggested fly-agaric mushroom, Amanita muscaria, as the likely candidate. Since its introduction in 1968, this theory has gained both detractors and followers in the anthropological literature.[4]

The book is "Brave New World", blue put it right in the title of the thread

[Riverwolf]

In the future a DNA test before birth will determine what injections you and/or your parents receive before you even pop out.
That is, if you can afford them...

[catdaddy]

Originally Posted by jpd

I remember a Sci-Fi author writing that humanity would be addicted to a drug called Soma in the future....hmmmmmm! Here's a little snap shot of the 20th century escapades......

From the late 1960s onwards, several studies attempted to establish soma as a psychoactive substance. A number of proposals were made, including one in 1968 by the American banker R. Gordon Wasson, an amateur ethnomycologist, who asserted that soma was an inebriant, and suggested fly-agaric mushroom, Amanita muscaria, as the likely candidate. Since its introduction in 1968, this theory has gained both detractors and followers in the anthropological literature.[4]

Soma is the actual brand name of an FDA approved prescription medication which has been around for decades (although not prior to the publication of Huxley's Brave New World) which contains the active ingredient carisoprodol. It is a muscle relaxant and is also available in the products Soma Compound (which adds aspirin) and Soma Compound with Codeine (which adds both aspirin and codeine). Great example of life imitating art.

[Coastman]

Hmmmm.... I immediately had two humorous thoughts:

(1) I already have my very own "PeeLow". Its nice and soft. In the morning, my head is so firmly attached to my "PeeLow" I have a hard to getting up.

(2) Sometimes when I get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, I "miss the mark" and "Pee-Low", which makes a mess on the bathroom floor. Boy does that make my wife angry when she goes in after me!

I wonder if "Pillo" can help me with these issues?!

Sorry, I couldn't help but find the humor here.....

[blue]

Originally Posted by catdaddy

Soma is the actual brand name of an FDA approved prescription medication which has been around for decades (although not prior to the publication of Huxley's Brave New World) which contains the active ingredient carisoprodol. It is a muscle relaxant and is also available in the products Soma Compound (which adds aspirin) and Soma Compound with Codeine (which adds both aspirin and codeine). Great example of life imitating art.

The amazing thing is that no company went after the ADHD med name Bart was put on in the Simpsons "Brother's little helper" episode. Focusyn.

[catdaddy]

Originally Posted by blue

The amazing thing is that no company went after the ADHD med name Bart was put on in the Simpsons "Brother's little helper" episode. Focusyn.

It could still happen.