Honkai: Man(Sludge) From Future

Genetic Existentialism

'This is not a form of existentialism, but rather a synthesis for which I have yet to find a proper adjective.'

*'Unlike the survivalism that followed the catastrophic World Wars, the existentialism of that era grappled with two things: the "unbearable burden of being" and the "freedom where existence precedes essence." ' *

Welt Yang tried to understand Noldrei through the lens of modern philosophy. With the advent of 'Geneticism', humanity was no longer an absolute existence. In other words, a person's freedom, from the very moment of their birth, was now determined by others.

An individual's choices, and their non-choices, all exist within the realm of human cognition. And in the era of Geneticism, this cognition can be predetermined and altered.

This stage represented the complete victory of materialism, where humanity entered a new phase of being able to define its own cognitive abilities.

Welt Yang had to contemplate what such a new world would look like. This situation was unprecedented; no one had ever considered what consequences such a problem would bring.

It's like this: imagine a person genetically modifies their ears. This individual with enhanced hearing can now hear arguments throughout the entire building, the conversations and exchanges in every single household.

But can you say they've violated others' right to privacy? How should others deal with this situation?

Noldrei's cold-blooded and ruthless nature was on full display here. He didn't care how many people would go mad as the old human order collapsed, nor how many moral taboos would crumble in the ensuing madness, leading to even more insane actions.

Welt's research was not merely limited to the modification of human aesthetics. He had to consider how the people of this new era would live, and how they would maintain their moral relationships with one another.

"Einstein, how many people in Academy City have undergone body modification so far?"

"Too many. So many I can't even count. The majority of the genetic modifications have been for physical enhancement, followed by disability recovery, and then the treatment of cognitive disorders. Things like balancing body hormones are just minor procedures."

Dr. Einstein had seen too much at the research institute. People outside longed to modify themselves, while those inside longed to modify others. A silent, suffocating power dynamic was being established within Academy City.

But so far, no one had stopped to think about these problems.

"Einstein, what do you think would happen if I published this?"

Welt handed his manuscript to Einstein. She took it and began reading it with Dr. Schrödinger.

"On existentialism..."

Einstein was slightly surprised. She hadn't expected Welt to suddenly delve into philosophy. But as she read on, she quickly realized this wasn't just a philosophical matter. It touched upon the deep-seated social problems that Academy City was now facing.

The main thrust of the manuscript was that as human modification became more profound, a person's cognitive and motor systems would become vastly more sensitive. Unprecedented experiences would make a person's formerly vast personal space feel incredibly 'small.'

The size of a person's personal space is not determined solely by their physical size, but by the limits of their perception and their ability to act.

In simple terms, after a person is modified into a superhuman, they will instinctively feel that the space around them has become cramped and uncomfortable, the world has become noisy and annoying, and the gazes of others have become piercingly sharp.

Einstein's expression grew much heavier. She had never considered these issues before and was surprised at the depth of Welt's thinking.

After finishing the manuscript, Einstein sighed. "Whew... It seems I've been cooped up in the research institute for too long. If this continues, I won't understand human society outside these walls anymore."

"So, Noldrei's plan to expand Academy City's residential areas, increase the average living space, and improve soundproofing in rooms was a preparation he made long ago. But it's clearly not enough."

Einstein didn't think this was a good solution. It was a stopgap measure, not a real cure.

"Right. That's why I'm also considering many of the plans he's proposed," Welt said.

He rubbed his temples, crossed his hands, and leaned back in his chair. He looked up at the ceiling, a hint of bewilderment in his voice. "The thing I'm confused about now is, I don't know what to do next. As humans become more and more powerful through modification, they will inevitably become dissatisfied with their living space. I used to think it would be best if Academy City could just stay as it is. Now I see I was being far too conservative."

Einstein and Schrödinger agreed. They had never experienced this kind of social situation before. If they continued to handle social problems with the mindset of an ordinary person, they probably wouldn't even know what hit them when things went south.

"They can't possibly keep themselves cooped up in this tiny city. We need more and larger habitable spaces to stabilize their mental states."

"No wonder Noldrei is preparing another version of Project Stigma. Something like the Stigma Battlesuits alone won't be enough to satisfy the humans of today. There has to be a place that can temporarily satisfy humanity's need for personal space."

The only solution Welt could think of was something akin to a 'brain in a vat' to achieve this transition. Otherwise, no one would be able to withstand the pressure of proximity between people.

Einstein pondered for a moment before speaking. "Or we could expand human living space, further improve it, restore the damaged surface environments, and repair the planet's ecosystems. Otherwise... the conflicts between humans will only increase."

She imagined sitting at home and being able to hear a neighbor complaining about her. The feeling was like being in your own house but standing in a tightly packed queue, easily overhearing the whispers of people on either side.

Not only could you overhear them, but you could hear them with perfect clarity.

"We need building materials with much better soundproofing. We also need to consider if meetings should be held in close quarters. I propose that we encourage working from home, build up the infrastructure for virtual meetings, and further improve online client-side communication."

"I never thought that with the development of biotechnology, humanity's demand for other technologies wouldn't decrease, but would instead increase."

Einstein felt like her head was about to explode. She felt like a kernel of rice being stir-fried in a hot wok, just waiting for the temperature to hit the right point to pop.

"Publish it," she said decisively. "He has to see this. Since he's the one who led us down this path, we need to see how he thinks we should walk it. Besides, us just brainstorming here in our ivory tower is completely useless."

"Even if we develop the ability for people to raise and lower their sensory acuity, most of the time, people will keep their senses on high. Lowering them will often become an unnecessary 'demand'."

Welt gave a wry smile. "Right. Just like a graphics card."