Found a referral to this in a couple of neural hacking videos I was watching, so I downloaded.
To sum up the plot, young struggling writer is presented with magic pill that improves his thinking by a couple of orders of magnitude. Silliness ensues. Not a bad movie, not one I'd recommend, it has a few moments, but an observation before I leave it:
- The embedded narrative that the drug must be addictive and have unpleasant side effectsÂ
Now this seems to be a part of our cultural narrative - perhaps largely generated by big-pharma, with their rush to release new placebos of suspect value and frequently real harmful side effects. Or it's the innate belief that all good things must involve a trade-off, there's an inherent belief that all coins have two sides...
...but, aside from the film (these effects are needed to create or further the plot) - think, in the real world, that most things don't have that trade off. A carrot is good for you. Period. So is an Apple. So is breathing. Just noting, the attitude regarding drugs is always one of a "mixed blessing" or "necessary evil" whereas real world experience doesn't always substantiate this. Just found it curious is all...
...now back to the neural hacking videos, some interesting points of view - contrasting, one presenter in favor of every new touted enhancer, TDCS, drug, supplement, vitamin, etc, the other, a doctor, empirically demonstrating the benefits of breathing, exercise and meditation...two very contrasting views on how increase performance...