This is Chapter 8 From The Book The Rogue Scholar The Rogue To Victory. Chapter 7 is here.
8
Psychology Survey Archival File Observation 57Delta1 Subject: 4569
Subject 4569 is showing a marked agitation as his ability to discern what is real in his world continues to degrade. Subject suffers from a cyclic depression and elation as the totality of freedom he now enjoys since the emergence of the holonosphere becomes increasingly known to his consciousness. There appears to be some correlation between daytime euphoria and nighttime depression. Subject considers all the possibilities optimistically during daylight, whereas when nighttime sets in subject feels possibilities are too endless and there is no hope he can pick what he would like for his life to be. Subject has a point in that anything he picks is equally possible, and since it is equally possible, he'd do as well to pick nothing. Prospect of existence of picking nothing appears to be a source of great depression to the subject as underlying psychological structure regards picking nothing to be a waste of life--or that life would be pointless if subject picked nothing. Hypothesize that lack of limitation on subject is the source of frustration. Limitation provides a natural structure with concomitant choices. Likewise, limitation provides relief from the paralysis of absolute freedom. Reminded subject that the old world provided no less freedom in that one had complete ability to choose how they wished to respond to a given event, even if they did not have complete freedom to determine external events. Also mentioned that if all possibilities were equally real and equally possible, one lost nothing by picking one set of events over another. Effects were not as this researcher anticipated.
Subjected appeared to consider information for a moment, then sat down in the corner and pulled his knees up to his chest as he began to rock vigorously back and forth. Subject began to laugh hysterically to himself as he chanted the phrase "free, free, free as a little bird." Subject suddenly had a dispositional shift, and came at this researcher swinging fists and brandishing a pencil. Subjected pinned the researcher down to the ground, and asked "How fucking free do you feel right now, bitch? Does this feel FREE TO YOU?" Subject suddenly became docile after this outbreak and sat quietly in the corner and began to sob. Hypothesis suggests that subject is having trouble integrating the notion of absolute freedom of one person versus the limitation another person places on someone else as a consequence of their choice or choices. How does the notion of complete freedom comport with something like rape or murder? Are not these events strictly the removal of freedom? How can freedom be both additive and subtractive, and who determines the nature of the holograph we all share at least partially? These are questions for which this researcher has no answer. However, while these questions are interesting, they do not prove difficult for this researcher to disregard. Why does this patient persist in tormenting himself over these questions? There must be some reason why some of us are free from such contemplation whereas others of us cannot rest and find our lives disturbed if we cannot answer these questions.
One thing that occurs to this researcher is that it may be beneficial to give this patient a Warble and observe the effects the shift has on him. In theory, the right Warble should provide balance to his disturbed system if it is as simple as replacing one misguided idea in a neural net.
End Archival File
If you want to hear what the Rogue has plans wise, you can go here to hear his case.