Get Smarter

Jamais Cascio, author of “Get Smarter,” used his article to proclaim support of mind enhancement drugs.  Cascio believed these drugs would become common place in our society. He claimed drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall soon would be easily accessed by all who wanted them.  Cascio stated that this new augmented intelligence could propel us into the next era of human existence. He explained that the drugs would become common place because those who refused to take the medication would soon be at a disadvantage to those who were dosed around them.  Those without the drugs would have to begin using the medications or risk being left behind.  The problems with this new drugged society, unforeseen by Cascio, are the possible side effects brought on by these treatments.  These bad effects include resentment by the individuals that could not receive the medication and the unexplored potential health hazards brought on by these drugs.

Even if these drugs did become over the counter medications at local drug stores in the United States, as Cascio predicts, it unlikely that they would be so easily found in underdeveloped countries or even poor neighborhoods. The citizens too impoverished to purchase the medicines or too far away from the pharmacies would have an unfair restriction placed on their potential. These people would be unable to perform on the same intellectual level as those who are administered the medications. The increased gap in the society classes would result in tension between those with and those without the treatments.  History has shown that humans long for equality and will fight to achieve it if they must.  This unfairness would doubtlessly lead to arguments and possibly wars.  

Along with the threat of hostility between those who have and those who do not have the drugs there is the threat of possible health effects unexplored by Cascio. He neglected to state the effects these drugs cause in our mental processes and our bodies.  Patients who have been prescribed these drugs for an extended period of time complain that they have increased difficulty concentrating when not using the medications.  Also some people experience headaches once they have been taken off the treatments. When these drugs are in our systems they make our mind work faster and for a longer period of time. The medicines change the way our brains function so when the drugs are no longer there our brains have trouble performing to their original ability. Cascio stated in his article that many of these drugs are still primitive, which is true. Many of the drugs have not been carefully studied yet because they are relatively new. Without these lengthy studies we are unable to fully understand how these drugs will affect our bodies and would be putting ourselves at risk if we were to take them in the way that Cascio suggests.

   The idea that someday everyone will need medication if they want to keep up with the rest of society is terrifying and most likely impossible. For Cascio’s vision to come true there would have to be a way to ensure that all people would have access to them and that there would be no harmful health effects.  There is no way to make these medications fully attainable, so there no way for Cascio’s idea to become reality.