Brain scans: Big Brother is watching

(George Orwell in 1933)

That somewhat private sanctuary known as the human brain is now being invaded – not only by a benevolent omniscient God, but also by fellow humans with their own agendas.

Megan Gannon of Live Science reports that functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is able to reveal "what people are thinking and feeling."  This is made possible through brain scans that indicate "patterns of neural activity."

For example, "anger, disgust, envy, fear, happiness, lust, pride, sadness  and shame" (got those Seven Deadlies covered pretty well here) are associated with specific areas of the brain.  Therefore, brain scans could indicate which emotions were at play at a given time.

This is currently far from an exact science (and the wayward among us might be praying that it never will be).  Some of the scanned emotions, such as envy, have been confused with others. However, scanned lust "was rarely mistaken for any other emotion…"  

The silver lining of all this may be the realization" that thoughts and emotions are sorely in need of self-control.  Otherwise, they may eventually be controlled by outside Orwellian influences.

"1984" may have chronologically passed, but its unsettling essence may be yet to come.   

Resources

http://news.yahoo.com/feeling-envious-lustful-brain-scans-tell-123807651.html

Copyright July 7, 2013 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved