I Worry About The Wrong Scientific Implications

I always focus on the wrong implications of scientific breakthroughs. For example, take the recent scientists who figured out how to control the hand of a subject. Most people I heard from immediately wondered about the 1984 type slavery potential of this. After all, this is mind control. However, I had a different thought.

Think about it, one person can control the hand of another person. The subject cannot resist, comparing the action to an involuntary tic. How long until we see this:

Subject: [Gets smacked] Owwww!

Controller: Stop smacking yourself!

Subject: [Gets smacked again] Owwww!

Controller: Stop smacking yourself!

Is this a legitimate concern? It this something that I should really be thinking about in response to this breakthrough as opposed to all of the other things that more reasonable people though about?

I don’t know. All I know is this is the first thing that popped into my head when I heard about all of this. I’m sure the implications of this discovery are far more reaching than making people smack themselves, but perhaps we do at least need to consider that aspect as well. It is certainly one application.