Would you let your kids be chipped?

[moksha]

If technology was able to produce a cerebral interface chip that guaranteed 100% faithfulness and compliance with everything LDS, would you have your kids chipped? Would your spouse push you to allow them to be chipped?

[Reuben]

Me: Hell, no. I wouldn't even do it if the chip guaranteed 100% faithfulness and compliance to something I was certain was good. What if I'm wrong?

In the larger scheme of things, everyone has to find a tribe or three, and also a comfy spot on the spectrum between being true to themselves and true to each tribe. (Actually along multiple axes in many different contexts, etc.) IOW, in all things, everyone is part agent and part cog. When the cog aspect is overemphasized, the result is totalitarianism. When the agent aspect is overemphasized, the result is anarchy. The extremes are just bad.

So similarly, I wouldn't put a chip in my kids that guaranteed 100% faithfulness to themselves.

My believing DW: Agency. The chip is Satan's plan.

[jfro18]

I'd be surprised is anyone on either side would agree to that... most TBMs constantly refer to agency when they dismiss those who leave as well as why they stay in the church knowing they've lied throughout their history.

Agency is a myth in the church, but a chip draws a line in the sand that I doubt more than a handful of members would go through with.

[deacon blues]

Heck no, although I think when many in the church try to avoid critics, that is tantamount to what they are trying to do. The Church wants to claim agency, but they don't want a free market-place of ideas. They want to control that market-place.

[1smartdodog]

Ins LDS mythology would that not be called the Satan chip?

[Just This Guy]

Sounds a lot like the episode of Black Mirror "Arkangel."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkangel_(Black_Mirror)

If you have Netflix, it defiantly worth watching, although it is defiantly a more mature program. It would probably be considered rated R or at least a hard PG-13, if that is something that you are concerned about.

[Red Ryder]

Ins LDS mythology would that not be called the Satan chip?

Nope. They're called GARMENTS!

[slavereeno]

I think in my TBM days I would say no, because that was Lucy-furs plan. But to your point, I know a lot of Mormon parents that do everything in their power to prevent exposure to anything that could jeopardize faithfulness. Locking down phone plans, or no smart phone at all, no cable, moving kids to charter schools because there are more Mormon kids there, keeping them super busy with church stuff, not letting them go to non members' homes, etc. But enough about me and DW... I do think there would be some that would definitely do the chip thing, to "protect" their child from evil.

[jfro18]

Ins LDS mythology would that not be called the Satan chip?

Nope. They're called GARMENTS!

I always thought they should make teens wear garments to deter sex considering they don't allow you to wear anything remotely short/tight/whatever and are possibly the most unattractive shorts/shirts you could ever find.

But maybe that's just me.

[Palerider]

My kids are all grown.

The only reason I would agree with having my grandkids chipped would be for locating purposes in case they were kidnapped.

In principle, I have to go with the free agency folks. Better to have the agency even with the inherent mistakes that will come.

[Reuben]

I think in my TBM days I would say no, because that was Lucy-furs plan. But to your point, I know a lot of Mormon parents that do everything in their power to prevent exposure to anything that could jeopardize faithfulness. Locking down phone plans, or no smart phone at all, no cable, moving kids to charter schools because there are more Mormon kids there, keeping them super busy with church stuff, not letting them go to non members' homes, etc. But enough about me and DW... I do think there would be some that would definitely do the chip thing, to "protect" their child from evil.

What if it was 100 chips, each of which added a little more influence, say, 1% of total coercion each?

What if each one was endorsed by a church leader? What if they never bothered to do the math?

[RubinHighlander]

Our last child, now a teen, has been more a pain the the assets than all the rest of them combined. I might be tempted to utilize said chip if it provided a significant reduction in drama and dumb assery.