Better killers through chemistry

[Jeffrey Fisher]

no, i don't recall any neurochemical manipulation, either, but you'll 
recall the central aspect of military life is the suit everyone gets 
(thus my refs to battlefield armor) that not only enhances speed, 
strength, etc., but also (iirc) has the ability to override the 
movements of the wearer and basically do its own thing -- e.g., when 
the soldier himself freaks out. i think the basic overriding of human 
response is very much in the same vein.

combine all the rapid and ongoing battlefield armor advances with 
neurochem (like neuropeptide Y suppressants, or neural stimulants, as 
in the case of pilots, whatever), and you're so in business. that's not 
strictly heinlein, but it's as if heinlein had revised ST after reading 
sterling or gibson . . .

j

On Friday, February 21, 2003, at 12:51 PM, RE wrote:


> Apt association.  But I can't recall any neurochemical manipulations 
> in the
> book, unless they used speed.  Wasn't it all militarism + group
> identification + utterly alien enemy that gave the troops their
> conscience-free zip?
> Randy
>
>
>
>> starship troopers, anyone? and i mean the fascist book, not the
>> anti-fascist "90120 in space" . . .
>>
>> combine this with improvements in battlefield armor, etc. etc.  and it
>> looks more and more like heinlein was a genuine visionary, in this
>> regard . . .
>>
>> j
>>
>