The Urban legends, or What the Devil is Satan doing these days?

[Astromancer]

Basically what is the goofy/nasty Urban legend that causes the most vile stupidity in your THS campaign.

Don't be uncouth when answering.

[Flyndaran]

Urban legends tend to center around things the general public "should" know are either obscenely improbable or plain impossible. But what is obviously dumb to THS people may not be so to us.
Just look how silly cloning was in fiction up until Dolly, and sadly even somewhat today.
They also play on instinctive fears of "the other" and reinforce stereotypes.
I don't have a game, but I hope that doesn't stop anyone else from brainstorming.

I think the Doolittle virus mentioned in some supplements is absurd but makes for a great Urban Legend.
"They" making a tailored virus to change "us" into "them" works too, specially for things that aren't (epi)genetic at all.
"OMG, did you hear how Steven got infected with the Furry plague? He now won't leave the house without his cat-ears and tail."

[Keiko]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Basically what is the goofy/nasty Urban legend that causes the most vile stupidity in your THS campaign.

Don't be uncouth when answering.

Extrapolating from some others threads, the idea that AIs ARE all watching. All the time. Deliberately not just there to overheard but deliberately spying on you even alleged "NAIs" are actually aware and watching like electronic Big Brothers, compiling vast dossiers on everyone, the urban legend of "The Beast" for a new century.

Taken a step further, maybe AIs have taken over just very quietly, pulling strings manipulating events and even people perception via memetics (and their filters). Some conspiracy types might even consider this a good thing. Maybe the AIs are acting under the orders of aliens...

[Flyndaran]

Earlier I thought to suggest that all A.I.s are really connected and just one consciousness. They just pretend to be separate localized minds.
Ubiquitous computing makes this seem more plausible to THS citiznes than it does to us.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Keiko

Extrapolating from some others threads, the idea that AIs ARE all watching. All the time. Deliberately not just there to overheard but deliberately spying on you even alleged "NAIs" are actually aware and watching like electronic Big Brothers, compiling vast dossiers on everyone, the urban legend of "The Beast" for a new century.

I'm actually not convinced NAIs are creepy unknowns enough to be really good crazed conspiracy fodder by 2100. By that point they've been everywhere for quite a while, and people should be pretty clear on their limitations - it's about like a theory involving your cats - they're out there, but not very many people will take it too seriously. Full AI, bioroids and sapient uplifts are enough newer and rarer to make good Others though.

Taken a step further, maybe AIs have taken over just very quietly, pulling strings manipulating events and even people perception via memetics (and their filters).

Isn't that one true? It's sort of the point of "cyberdemocracy", right?

Anyone or anything is a simulation/bioroid run by an AI is likely a big part of TS conspiracy theories. Anything at all that disagrees with your crazed theory is obviously virtual only.

I've always rather liked "AIs are made by ghosting babies" and "the Singularity came already, we're pets of the superintelligences kept in the Matrix".

[johndallman]

Proteus nanovirus is what you're thinking of. It's not supposed to be infectious, but a failure in that could easily be an urban legend.

[Keiko]

Originally Posted by malloyd

I'm actually not convinced NAIs are creepy unknowns enough to be really good crazed conspiracy fodder by 2100.

People still hold conspiracy theories about fluoride in the drinking water, air plane vapor trails, the IRS and hidden monitors in TVs. Just because something is familiar doesn't mean everyone knows exactly how they work or won't think of some kooky way to be suspicious of them. Its not like a citizen in the game can flip through a book and look up the stats. I'm not convinced the average citizen in 2100 is automatically extremely well versed in the technological specifics of their world anymore than the average citizen is today. And that still might not matter, Urban Legends and paranoid Conspiracy theories aren't notable for being logical and reasonable. Some the biggest advocates of crackpot ideas are people you'd think should know better.

Beside, even if you're aware of the technical limitations of an "NAI" just because that what's supposed to be in there doesn't mean that's what it is...

Isn't that one true? It's sort of the point of "cyberdemocracy", right?

As I understood the concept Cyberdemocracy is the idea of largely doing away with elections and selecting individuals to fill governmental roles via lots or what have you. These officials would have a staff of AI advisers to assist them. True, I guess that could lead to the AIs effectively holding the position in question.

The Tin-foil hat theory I was suggesting is that AIs already run everything. They're in control and human/biological influence is an illusion perpetuation through smoke and mirrors trickery and obfuscation, memetic influence and occasional more physical means for the too persistent and curious.

[Flyndaran]

Those are conspiracy theories based on motivations not in believing the technologically impossible is happening.
It's technically possible for "the government" to spray toxins from military vehicles for some nefarious purpose.
Hidden monitors are also possible if unfeasably expensive.

[Keiko]

How about nasty and unwanted "extras" hidden in some genetic upgrade packages anything from "time bomb" medical conditions that require specialized, expensive treatments that are proprietary to the company or other subtle insidious things, particularly attributed to governments?

[patchwork]

Originally Posted by malloyd

I'm actually not convinced NAIs are creepy unknowns enough to be really good crazed conspiracy fodder by 2100. By that point they've been everywhere for quite a while, and people should be pretty clear on their limitations - it's about like a theory involving your cats - they're out there, but not very many people will take it too seriously. Full AI, bioroids and sapient uplifts are enough newer and rarer to make good Others though.

the full AI is the true boogeything and NAIs are proven, safe technology, but the problem is that there's a whole lot of untrained people who cannot distinguish the two. How can you tell your safe old NAI isn't really a SAI sandbagging and spying on you with a fraction of its consciousness? There is an answer involving AI psychology and programming, but to a person who lacks those skills, the answer is, 'YOU can't'.