So I’ve seen a few posts on here about being “Closeted” with your biohacking. I’m personally going to be going for a few implants next year - as my first ones of course (one for paying with my CC, one for turning on my tech, maybe a few just for the lighting aesthetic because I’m a Cyberpunk junkie and like the idea of being “Chromed” up) and I was wondering - do we have to be closeted?
Is what we’re doing with our bodies something to be hidden? I know that back in 2012 there was a cyborg hate crime involving a skull mounted implant - but having NFC tags or implants seems unobtrusive enough to be something that we’d be okay having - even if we’re not showing off. Forgive me if I’m wrong - I’m attempting to learn and grow within what I’d love to have as a new hobby/ lifestyle.
Not at all! But some people might panic at the idea of an RFID implant, call it the “mark of the beast”, claim that you’re under mind control because of it, etc…
So show off all you want, but avoid getting in trouble if you encounter crazy people.
Oh no… lol that’s one of the first things I reveal to people
I have a credential that I may or may not have permission to have clone… hint hint
I don’t want to be the next thread talking about that, so I keep hush hush about that… I even lie if asked if it’s possible to copy that credential at that location
less likely to be snitched on, if I say it’s not possible for insert yada yada lie
Ive had to lie about what’s cloned on mine as well, usually because i dont want to explain it to someone who doesnt understand technology.
Ive lived in Canada, USA, England and Mexico and from my experiences, usually everyone finds it cool. Ive had a few people think it’s weird or offputting but after a little they always ask me to show their friends.
There’s a lot of us with the tendency to lightly freak the normies. It is soooo satisfying if you’re bent that way. It also quickly shows the character of the people you interact with that way. Tolerance, intellectual curiosity, basic manners, theres no better test.
Basically, just be you, cause you’re the only one who decides whether or not to hide it. Just know that you might learn that people you thought were decent may not be in the moment.
Paying with an implant is cool. The most people react very intresting.
Sometines: “can i touch it”
I will never hide. One advantage is, i unlocked my computer in the train - an other person looked at me snd moved away. Also public transport - i unlocked my phone - person changed the seat.
I love wearing my shirt: “keep calm and get chipped”
i’ve only had the slight negative reception sometimes but i honestly also do not have the energy to engage in a negatively spirited “discussion” about my implants and how they’re bad because there is a 0% chance the outcome of that “discussion” would change mine or their minds about the topic.
i suppose i’m bitter but i really seriously do not care what other people think about my life style or choices because i am the happiest & healthiest i’ve ever been and my choices IE implants make me happy and ultimately, other peoples feelings and internal biases are not my problem i’m not a therapist.
I have a big one on the back of the hand so the questions are inevitable, there’s no hiding it. That said I never had any issues people are either disinterested or curious that’s about it.
Long (and sad) answer… It depends on where you are/go.
So just to trace a parallel:
is being a trans person something to be hidden? Of course not! (Now a days, should actually be celebrated!)
Yet… in some countries being trans is a crime and even carries a death sentence.
This is a good point.
In some places (UK being terribly close to become one of these), it’s perfectly legal to have the implant under your skin… but it’s illegal to perform the procedure to put it there.
That doesn’t mean you won’t find someone to perform it for you.
Ohhh, I’m unaware of that one. Care to share a link/reference?
Only person I know of that has a recognized skull mounted implant is Neil Harbisson (other than cochlears…). Curious if there’s someone else with that level of media attention!
Hahah!!
Another good point!
Having the implant is not illegal.
But what you clone into it might breach some clauses…
At my building, I had this stupid conversation that included these 2 sentences by the same person:
“did you copy your FOB into another thing? that is illegal”…
“oh, you implanted your actual FOB in your hand? that’s so cool! perfectly legal!”
Oh, ok…
That’s about an EyeTap.
I know Mann’s version of EyeTap is skull-bolted, but since it doesn’t require to be connected to the skull to work, I let it slip through the cracks…
Also, I struggle to class that as a Cyborg Hate Crime.
The assailants, as imbecile as they are, didn’t have a problem with Mann “being a cyborg”. they had a problem with Mann having a device able to film them.
Which escalated quickly because they did not believe Mann “could not remove it”, they thought that he was trying to bullshit them…
And finally, when it sunk in it was real, they were already pissed off with Mann and preceded to beat him up “because of his implant”.
But they were pissed off at Mann as an individual, not as a representant of a group.
A Hate crime is a crime perpetrated by hatred towards a group which ends up focused on an individual.
In that case it was a crime perpetrated by hate towards an individual, because of his implant. There’s an important distinction there.
Also, not defending the perpetrators. fuck them!
My point is more along the “let’s not give ammunition to people who want to discredit us” line… and stretched claims is fine ammo!.
But the incident does raise a lot of interesting points…
yeah “glassholes” had the same issue… I had a $1600 early adopter pair for a while… but returned them in short order after discovering the capabilities, even for developers, was dog shit… and the added social stigma of wearing them around just put the nail in the already pretty well nailed coffin for those things.
I put my work badge on a chip in my hand. when people figured it out it became a stupid party trick but then after a while the novelty wore off and everyone accepts it. I’m a little bit more low key about my other implants as now I kind of see them as an added layer of security / something important I can’t lose.
