The General Holsterman Lectures [Biochemistry and Psychotronics]

General Holsterman walked onto the stage, tapped his breast-clipped microphone and listened to the reverberating thump-thump-thump through the auditorium. The device was operating. He cleared his throat.

“Cadets, today we will be discussing technologies, weaponry and tactics, some of which have classifications of top secret and beyond. I will not be discussing any classified materials with you, however. The information you will hear is available in any undergraduate level textbook, specifically in the fields of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. I will not be divulging any trade secrets or research that violate my security clearances. Get your pencils sharp, your pens and notebooks ready. Copious notes should be taken. Today’s lecture is heavy on science.”

The Cadets who were still shuffling into the auditorium moved to their seats quickly and opened their notebooks, unveiling their writing instruments in practiced brandishing. The General walked to the lectern and tapped a large stack of  notecards down. He glanced at the projector screen and clicked the projector’s remote control. Two emboldened phrases appeared.

The Conscious Perception of Information 

and

The Unconscious Perception of Information

The General scanned the room.

“There has been a distinction we have not discussed over the length of this semester. It concerns the information an individual perceives with regard to formulating their own actions, behaviors, beliefs and values. Thus far, we have only regarded information as information, or Stimuli. We have only spoken of it as being true or false, manipulated or accurate, tainted or pure. We have not talked in length of How information is perceived or the Mediums of Perception an individual possesses on a physiological and psychological level.” 

The General walked away from the lectern and stood at the front of the stage.

“There are in fact two categories of Information Perception.”

The General raised a hand, directing the students to the projector screen. He clicked the remote again and more words appeared. The students began copying the notes.

“Most information or stimuli falls into both of these categories by varying degrees. To begin with, The Conscious Perception of Information is perception—that is, the receiving of information or stimuli—where an individual is consciously aware of its reception. What you are doing right now, taking notes and listening to my voice is an example of this type of perception. Watching or listening intently to a news broadcast could be as well. Reading a book, a newspaper, or actively scrutinizing a dishwashing detergent advertisement, these are all examples of conscious perception. Conscious Perception is the action of receiving information where by an individual is in some manner aware of and thinking on that information. 

“The second category—usually, but not always—involves basic environmental stimuli. These are factors like temperature, air pressure and altitude. A surrounding environment always transmits information to a Perceiver. This stimuli may arrive in a vector that the perceiver is consciously unaware of, or it may not. Is the environment an enclosed space? Is the environment open and unencumbered?  Does the environment have a high degree of noise pollution? Is the perceiver standing in the middle a meadow at low wind, or in the middle of a busy subway station? What psychological effects might these factors have on a perceiver? How might these factors affect an individual’s physiology and biochemistry? Are these factors an individual is consciously unaware of perceiving, or is the perceiver oblivious to the information? Or, to be specific, are these factors that an individual’s higher brain functions are unconcerned with?

“Information received in this manner can fall under the second category: The Unconscious Perception of Information. There is also what is termed, Artificial Stimuli. This is stimuli produced by whatever means, but it is produced with intention by outside actor(s) on a target. These could be measures such as Subliminal Messaging, Infrasound Propagation, and Photon Bombardment. I know that most of you have learned about Subliminal Messaging during your studies of propaganda this semester. You may have had some prior knowledge of it through pop-culture. However, I am quite sure that few-to-none of you have ever studied the latter two subjects in the context of warfare. 

“Artificial Stimuli may fall under either perception category. However, we will be focussing on measures that have a Low Conscious Observability. Infrasound Propagation and Photon Bombardment can most certainly possess this capability. We will get to them later.”

The General clicked the projector remote and a new page of definitions appeared.        

“Before we delve into the hard science of this lecture, we need to discuss aspects of Unconscious Perception. You have brushed upon several factors already this semester that edge around this topic. The feeling of anonymity one might experience in a dense crowd or when night falls could be the result of information received at an unconscious level. An individual can certainly be aware of crowd density. An individual can certainly be aware of day transitioning into night, but the individual may be completely unaware of the deeper biochemical and psychological changes these factors have—Pupil dilation, increased heart rate, increased adrenaline, the sympathetic and para sympathetic workings of the nervous system. These are all reactions to information that may be perceived unconsciously. In the cases of crowd density and day/night transition, these factors would fall under both the conscious and unconscious categories of perception. The categories are non-exclusive, meaning that it may be helpful to think of them more as a gradient scale with each category as extremes.”  

The General let the students finish copying the definitions and clicked the remote again. An image of a magnetic resonance scan lit the projector screen. The scan was a sagittal section of a human skull made up of various shades of red, blue, green and yellow. The most notable features were the eyes. Two red orbs, stood frozen and blaring like Christmas tree bulbs along the edge of the image.       

“All people live their lives inside varying degrees of perception. Most walk the earth in a semi conscious state. They are unaware of their differing levels of consciousness, and it is likely that all of you here in this auditorium go about your daily routines of schoolwork and youthful activity oblivious to the differing levels of awareness inside of you. You do all of this unknowingly of course. You do what you think is best. You do as you are told, usually, and whatever stimuli your bodies receive, your nervous systems pass them through a mishmash of filters and organic processors. A deciphering of data commences. The chugging-out of appropriate responses cascades. Some of your responses are produced with conscious, internal debate—the activities of your higher brain. ‘What should I eat?,’ ‘Which girl from Holy Mary should I ask to the Winter Formal?’, ‘How can I become squad leader?’ All of these might be predominant questions on your mind and require recurrent and/or constant internal deliberation. Most of your decisions, however, arrive with no debate at all. They come forth in an algorithmic precision, like a mousetrap snapping.”

The General lifted his palm. 

“This is normal. Or, it is what is considered to be normal. The flexibility of the human mind is substantial. Attempting to determine a base-state for Human Normalcy is like trying to answer the philosophical question: ‘How best should one live?’”

The General strolled the stage, looking at the floor. He put his hands inside his pockets and made fists. As the scribbling sounds inside the auditorium were diminishing, the General clicked the remote again and a simple, black and white diagram appeared on the screen. The diagram was in the shape of a circle. The General looked up, making sure the image was discernible. The Cadets began drawing the diagram in their notebooks.

On the screen, two horizontal lines were bisecting the circle like lines of latitude on a globe. One line was near the equator. The other line was near what could be considered the arctic region. The diagram was not a globe, however. The two lines of latitude produced three distinct areas inside the circle. What could be considered the arctic region was labelled Consciousness. The area just below, but still in the northern hemisphere, was labelled, Personal Unconscious, and the area making up the entire southern hemisphere was marked as, Collective Unconscious. The General continued .

“You should not attempt to comprehend this diagram as a statement of scientific fact. The ideas that this picture represent are not widely used in current psychology. This diagram is a representation of a Jungian theory over a century old. It is being used here as a guidance tool, a device that may help you better understand the topics we will be discussing. As usual, with much of the materiel I present, you are to mull it over. You should not be trying to discover the chemical make up of the murky waters I’ve dumped you in. When examining this diagram, you are to observe the ideas it represents. You are to attempt to understand the water’s currents and movements. You should be trying to pull whatever small, simple truths you can from the depths. 

“As for those of you who are only interested in scientific fact, here is one for you. No real Mind Map can ever be represented on a sheet of paper, just like no topographical map can ever fully summarize a terrain. However, this does not mean it cannot assist you in navigation. Take the diagram for what it is—a brief description of an infinitely complex construct.”

The scribbling noises decreased as most Cadets were finished copying of the diagram. The General produced a laser pointer and aimed its red bead on the projector screen. The bead slowly began circling the word, Consciousness, inside the arctic region. 

“This is where you are. This is where you live,—Or, it is where you think you live—this small area that is a part of a much greater whole, a whole that we will term, Perception. The Consciousness region consists of your observable experience, your sensory stimuli, or at least the stimuli that you consciously perceive throughout your day. That is the Sights, Sounds, Touches, Tastes and Smells you knowingly experience. It also consists of your thought processes such as mathematical calculation, problem solving, personal reflection on memories and experiences, your inner thoughts, your inner voice, language and partial concepts of personal identity. All of what you generally consider to be you exists within this region. All of what is considered Higher Brain Functions and your outward personality are located within it. All of what you willfully perceive without assistance is here. It is the perception that most would call, Life.”

The General stopped circling the term Consciousness with the laser and held the beam steady within the arctic area.

“That is where you live,—that small area of perception—and you will watch your life go by like a child in a movie theater almost entirely within the confines of this region of consciousness.”

The General lowered the laser bead and began running it back and forth, underlining the words Personal Unconscious.

“Individuals with higher levels of imagination and innovativeness tend to have more pronounced interactions between the realms of Consciousness and Unconsciousness. All of you are aware of some of these activities. Dreaming is the most notable of them. Please understand, I am not speaking about whether or not an individual is asleep or awake. Consciousness does not disappear when an individual falls asleep. Unconsciousness does not cease to exist when an individual is awake. Sleep is only a rest period where an awareness fades to the observer. 

“Within the Personal Unconscious, entire realities and personalities can exist and be generated. These entities and realities can be just as real to the observer as the outside world. If ever asked, ‘Where do dreams come from?’ They come from here, Cadets. Specifically, Dreams can be considered as an interfacing effect between the Conscious and the Unconscious regions of the mind. Hallucinations can be considered as this type of interfacing as well. Faulty Memories, Memory Modification, Memory Absence… All can be effects of this interfacing. There are many conditions, many real world factors, that influence perception at unconscious levels. The most commonly known factors are Fear, Guilt, Shame, Stress, and Psychological Trauma. However, there are other factors that affect the unconscious realms, and they can do so with precision. Most of these factors are unknown to the public. Many are Artificial. All can produce changes in the unconscious mind, and these changes can be made with relative permanence or be evanescent.”

The students scribbled fast, getting down the last line. 

“What is best about this diagram is that it visually produces a semi-accurate picture of the immense scope of the human mind. It shows this small area, Consciousness,—what the layman generally accepts as life—as being more akin to what it truly is, a tiny limited region of awareness that is far smaller than its composite whole.”

The General began running the laser pointer along the longitudinal line that separated the Consciousness region and the Personal Unconscious region.

“It is here, this division, this interfacing region between an individual’s conscious awareness and their unconscious realities that we will be focussing on. 

“For greater understanding of Jungian theory, I have provided suggested readings in your syllabus. Much of it is antiquated but falls in similar lines to evolutionary psychology. You will not be tested on any of it. Though you may be enlightened with greater understanding. 

“Now, under this construct of Perception, what we will be discussing is a subfield of psychological warfare that bleeds heavily into the other warfare arenas—specifically, the electric, kinetic, biological, and chemical genres. This subfield has had several names over many centuries. Some have called it witchcraft. It has been labelled as sorcery, bewitching, spell casting, charming, and bedazzlement as well. Some just call it religion. Due to its current form and technological advancement, we will be using the term, Psychotronics.” 

Every Cadet began sitting forward in their chairs, eyebrows furrowing, attempting to understand exactly what the General had just said. Witchcraft? Spell Casting? Magic? Every student in the auditorium, one by one, began squinting their eyes as their brains attempted the mental gymnastics. The General strolled a few steps, a microscopic smile edging at the corners of his mouth. 

“If I were to make a distinction between what you have studied thus far and what you are about to study now, it would be this: If the aim of Propaganda and other Active Measures are to manipulate The Mind, then the aim of Psychotronics is to manipulate The Soul.”

The auditorium was motionless. The General walked back to the podium, letting the perplexity fill the room. The Cadets watched the General take a swig of water. The General screwed the water’s bottle-cap back on, cleared his throat, and clicked the remote.

“What are you seeing?” The General turned and scanned the auditorium. 

On the projector screen, a short video, six-seconds in length, was playing and replaying continuously. The video clip showed a streetlamp at night with hundreds of moths fluttering around the light source in a cluster. No one in the auditorium responded. The General stomped toward the front of the stage.

“SOUND OFF! WHAT ARE YOU SEEING!?!”

Quick, garbled replies from two hundred students washed through the large room. The General heard, “Streetlamp,” “Bugs,” “Insects,” “Light,” “Moths” and a host of other observations. The General raised a hand to quiet the room. He then pointed to a Cadet sitting in the front row.

“You there, what do you see?” the General asked.

The Cadet looked around himself as the auditorium settled. The Cadet stood from his seat at attention and raised his eyes to the projector screen.

“General, Sir, I see moths flying around a streetlamp at night, Sir.” The Cadet held his rigid stance.

“Yes, that is what’s happening.” The General replied, looking around at the room. “Do you see anything else, Cadet?” 

The Cadet studied the video clip for a moment longer, trying to find some possible, hidden feature he was missing. All of the other Cadets were doing the same. After a moment, the Cadet from the first row shook his head.

“General, I only see what I have said, Sir.”

The General continued scanning the class. “Does anyone else have anything to add?” 

The entire auditorium remained silent. All were either looking at the General or examining the video clip. It was unusual for the General to call on students during his lectures. The General looked back at the Cadet in the first row. 

“Cadet, why are the moths flying around the light?”

The boy’s eyebrows furrowed. He knew there was a right answer to that question. It would be something scientific, something about the nature the moth and their behavior. 

“General, I do not know, specifically. I only know that moths are attracted to light. It is what they do, Sir.”

“IT IS WHAT THEY DOOO!” The General boomed, “THAT’S THE ANSWER I WAS LOOKING FOR.”

The General turned and spoke quietly to the front row Cadet.

“Thank you, Cadet. Take your seat.” 

The Cadet unlocked his rigid body, stressed by standing alone in front of all of his peers. He collapsed into his chair, grabbing his pencil in the process, saving it from rolling off the desk. The General continued. 

“What you are watching is an example of Fatal Attraction found in nature. For millions of years, moths have used faint light sources—specifically, the moon and stars—for navigation. They evolved this way over millions of generations. Barring the infrequent forest fire and later campfire, it was not until man’s invention of artificial light where this behavior became most fatal to the moth. It is a lesson of Detrimental Behavior Induced by Photoreception, and it stems from an innate psychology in the moth.”

The General clicked the remote again and a large page of terms and definitions appeared. The Cadets’ pencils began scribbling.

“This is an extremely simple example of what we will be discussing. The behavior of a moth is nothing more than a list of algorithmic functions, but take a moment and ponder this: ‘Can light influence the behavior of other organisms?… What about something with far greater complexity?’”

The General lifted a palm and gestured through the air. The Cadets’ were writing frantically.

“Before we get into that question, we must discuss a host of other topics. First, we must discuss Stimuli and the mediums through which we are capable of perceiving, either consciously or unconsciously. 

“You have been taught your entire lives that there are Five Human Senses, those being Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste and Touch. For those of you who are fans of science fiction, you have certainly come across the idea of a Sixth Sense, one that explores the possibilities of Telepathy. In reality, you may one day live in a world where true telepaths exist. You yourself may become one of them, but I assure you, it will not be due to natural evolution. Telepathy will arrive through biological and technological convergence—an individual being wirelessly linked into a network of other individuals so-to-speak. That being said, the Sixth Sense is a topic for another class.

“As for your five naturally evolved senses, in truth, you have only three. You possess Chemoreception—the ability to perceive specific chemical compounds in your immediate environment. This makes up the bulk of your Olfaction and Gustation processes—Those are your senses of smell and taste, Cadets. 

“You have Tactoreception. This is your sense of Sound and Touch. It may seem strange to lump Sound and Touch together. At first glance, neither seem to have anything to do with one another. However, the perception of sound is nothing more than feeling pressure waves in the air. The Auditory Sense is a long evolved and highly specialized form of touch. 

“Your third sense is Photoreception. This your Visual Sight. It is also highly evolved and specialized, however, the phenomenon of perceiving photonic-stimuli is not limited to the visual cortex.           

“For today’s discussion we will be focussing on Tactoreception and Photoreception. As for Chemoreception, though it has-and-can been used in psychological warfare, its immediate intimacy with a target can be problematic. Small clandestine operations lend better circumstances for its use. Chemical tracing can be problematic as well, and the large-scale use of chemicals in or over an enemy territory can be logistically difficult. All this being said, you should understand that Chemoreception is the oldest sense we have in an evolutionary scope. Single celled organism were swimming around thermal vents, tasting their environment, long before the first rays of sun touched their cellular walls. Thus, Chemoreception has the potential to influence the mind and body at deeper levels and more profoundly than any other sensory medium.”

The General let the Cadets finish copying the terms and definitions on the screen. When the sounds of scribbling slowed, he clicked the remote again and a double helix of DNA appeared. More terms, definitions and smaller molecular structures filled a column along the right side of the screen. A collective grunt reverberated throughout the auditorium as the Cadets saw how much they would need to write. 

“Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid, DNA, The Molecule of Creation… It is located within the cellular and mitochondrial nuclei of all eukaryotic cells. Its functions are manifold, but its primary function is the storage, replication, and distribution of genetic information.” 

The General scanned the room, making sure the Cadets were all paying attention. Their eyes were darting up and down, looking back-and-forth from the projector screen to their notebooks.

“Each DNA Nucleotide—or chainlink—contains three parts—A Phosphate Group, a Deoxygenated Ribose sugar, and a DNA Base. The Phosphate Group and the Deoxygenated Ribose make up the backbone of the DNA polymer. Each Ribose shares a phosphate bond with its two neighboring sugars, sort of like a line of children holding hands. A single Purine or Pyrimidine molecule constitute the DNA Base. There are four DNA Bases in total—Two Purines, constituted by either a single Guanine or a single Adenine molecule, or Two Pyrimidines, constituted by either a single Cytosine or a single Thymine molecule.

“The double helix shown here depicts two strands of DNA sharing hydrogen bonds between each other. The hydrogen bonds occur between the nucleotide bases. The Guanine of one DNA nucleotide will hydrogen bond with the Cytosine of the DNA Base on the opposing strand. Adenine does the same with Thymine, Thymine with Adenine, Cytosine with Guanine, respectively. Thus, if one strand of DNA has four hundred thousand Cytosine bases, then the opposing strand will have four hundred thousand Guanine bases, and these Base Pairings will have the same antiparallel positioning along their strands. This is the secret of how DNA is able to replicate itself and encode its information—this specific Base Pair Sequencing of the nucleotides. It is also why a two stranded length of DNA forms its twisted ladder shape, or Secondary Structure. A second twisting of DNA also occurs with its wrapping around a Histone core—which is not shone here. This produces DNA’s three dimensional shape or Tertiary Structure as a Nucleosome. Keep Secondary and Tertiary structures in mind, Cadets. We will be discussing them in detail, later in today’s lecture.”

A fever pitch of concentration and stress was wavering through the room. Students were writing as fast as they could, attempting to get down as much information as possible. The General’s eyes squinted.   

“All of this should be review for you. If it is not, get with your peers and crack your books.” 

The General eyed several Cadets whose hands were beginning to cramp. He scanned more and watched sleeves press against brows, wiping sweat. He clicked the remote again, causing more terms and definitions to appear. A collective huff and moan emitted through the room.

“The information encoded in DNA base pair sequencing is revealed through a process called Transcription. 

“Messenger Ribonucleic Acid—mRNA—translates a DNA strand’s base sequence by hydrogen bonding its own associative RNA Nucleotide Bases with an opened DNA stand’s Nucleotide Bases. The bases of the RNA are the same Adenine, Cytosine, and Guanine as DNA, but Thymine is replaced with Uracil, which bonds in a similar manner to Adenine.

“When Transcription is terminated, the elongated mRNA breaks away from the DNA strand and departs the nucleus. It moves into the cytoplasm of the cell and onto the first phases of protein synthesis. 

“Proteins are Macromolecules—Complex Polymers—made up of Amino Acids. There are twenty different Amino Acids in the human body, each species possessing different molecular branches or Side Chains. Each Amino Acid constitutes a chainlink in the polymer, or what is termed, Polypeptide. The position of a specific Amino Acid along the chain is determined by the mRNA Base sequence, which, in retrograde, is determined by the DNA Base sequence. Hence: 

“If DNA base sequencing is altered, then the Amino Acid sequencing in consequence may be altered. 

“and,

“If mRNA base sequencing is altered, then the Amino Acid sequencing in consequence may be altered.”                                               

The General clicked the remote and the two postulates emboldened on the screen. The Cadets who had already written them underlined the sentences with force. The other Cadets who were struggling to keep up, jittered and tried to increase the speed of their tiring hands. The General walked to the podium and took a swig of water, giving the students the time that he could.

“Now, there is Redundancy built into the mRNA encoding system. Which amino acid is positioned in a polypeptide is not determined by one specific mRNA sequence, or Codon. Several different Codons will decrypt for the same Amino Acid. This is the method evolution has chosen to combat genetic mutation. However, codon redundancy is not fool proof. Sickle Cell Anemia, Cystic Fibrosis, Huntington’s Chorea… Many of humanities diseases stem from genetic mutations that in consequence alter the amino acid sequencing of proteins. The reason why this produces disease is this: 

“It is the Amino Acid sequence which determines the three-dimensional shape or Tertiary Structure of a protein, and, as is the case with all of Engineering, Form Affects Function.  

“Amino Acids are composed by three parts: An Amino Group, a Carboxyl Group, and a Side Chain Group. The Side Chain Group will be one of the Twenty molecular branches, all having differing properties to varying degrees. These are properties such as Positive and Negative charges, Molecular Polarities, Hydrophobicity, and a capacity for Hydrogen Bonding. When a polypeptide is synthesized, it is the interactions of these Side Chains which produce the tertiary structure of the protein. The polypeptide will bend and fold, twist and sheet, extend or condense. It will contort in all manner of direction due to these Side Chain Interactions. Imagine a long length of yarn. Then crumple that length into a ball inside your hands. That twisted and entangled yarn would be similar to what a protein might look like if viewed with the naked eye. However, for proteins, this crumpling and packaging is uniform, meaning that two identical amino acid sequences will produce two identical tertiary structures, given that they form under similar environmental conditions. 

“Form follows Function, Cadets, and there might not be any better example of this than a Protein. However, given the microscopic nature of a protein, it can be difficult to comprehend this concept. For better understanding, I would like you to imagine a rod and a disk laying on a table. Individually, these objects are unable to do work, mechanically. You might be able to use the rod as a lever. You might be able to use the disk as a frisbee or a dinner plate. Alone, these forms do little to nothing. However, what if you combined them? What if you inserted the rod into the focus of the disk? Your rod and disk would become an Axil and a Wheel, a simple but powerful machine capable of perpetuating motion. 

“Proteins are similar in this context. They do not operate using axils and wheels, however. Their functions are determined by the bonding angles between their elements and the attraction and repulsion forces of their side chains. Their microscopic movements are determined by stored energy potentials in their molecular bonds. These energy potentials can be thought of as springs that are condensed or stretched. Many proteins operate like mousetraps just waiting for the right chemical compound to arrive before snapping. This is what a protein is. It is a molecular machine that performs simple, microscopic, mechanical movements.”       

The general clicked the remote.

“A excellent example of this is found with the Heme Groups of hemoglobin inside of red blood cells. A Heme Group is a protein that is precisely folded and entangled in a specific configuration around a Ferrous ion (Fe++). There are four Heme Groups per Hemoglobin and about 2.7 million Hemoglobin per red blood cell. The ferrous ion,—or positively charged Iron atom—is what attracts Oxygen (O2) towards a red blood cell and through the avioli walls of the lungs. It is the Heme Group which allows for an Oxygen molecule to be absorbed by the red blood cell, held there, and later released within specific parameters and destinations inside the circulatory system. Think about that. This one tiny protein is almost completely responsible for oxygen transport throughout the entire body, and it does this with only the tiny movements of its microscopic, three-dimensional shape. 

“As you finish this page of notes, I want you to think about what the consequences would be if that shape were changed. By what methods could it be changed? And with what technologies could this be induced?”

The General walked back to the podium and took another drink of water. The room was silent except for a low swooshing sound of pencils and pens gliding over paper. The General swallowed a gulp, then took another. Today’s lecture would be the longest and most intricate of the semester. He only hoped his old voice and body would hold out. After a few moments, the General capped the bottle and spoke. 

“As for my last question, if you came up with answers such as ‘Genetic mutation due to viral infection or ionizing radiation,’ good for you. Those are factors that can produce changes in a protein’s tertiary structure. But are there any other methods?…”

The auditorium remained silent. The General walked away from the podium toward the front of the stage.

“Genetic mutation can produce permanent changes in the tertiary structure of proteins, but what if you do not wish for the changes to be permanent? What if you only want the tertiary structure to change shape for a brief period of time?”

The General lifted a palm.

“Let’s begin with Photoreception.”

The General clicked the remote and a menagerie of different colors moved like a kaleidoscope on the screen.

“The use of light to manipulate the mind is a tactic almost as old as our species. Tribal shamans called forth spirits as they tossed copper-oxide dust into campfire flames. The resulting, blue pyrotechnics bedazzled the uninitiated watchers, and The Shaman—usually along with other tribal leaders—garnered the faith of The Tribe and increased their influence to preside over them and guide them to whatever end. It was with the power of ritual, or Dramatization, in which tribal leaders made themselves appear to be more than what they were, appear to be chosen by the spirits or gods or what-have-you, and all of it was aided with a little chemistry and an unusual light display.

“The stained glass windows of churches perform similar functions. They are beautiful alone in their pictures, patterns, and colors, but if the presence of God is needed to be witnessed inside of a church, the use of mirrors and their reflections and refractions through a stained glass window can mesmerize a congregation, especially one from the seventh century. All of this occurring, of course, as a priest demands compliance or submission or charity, or whatever.

“It is not well known by most, but colors themselves have significant influence on the mind at unconscious levels. Colors in shades of blue tend to produce soothing or calming effects. Colors in shades of yellow increase analytical activity and higher brain functions. Shades of red can cause irritableness, irrationality, even rage. These are secrets, Cadets, little known facts about human nature that are obvious to an objective observer. These tactics or tricks have been passed down from one religion to another, from one dynasty to the next warlord, from one ancient mystery school to the next secret society, from one movie producer to the next studio. These are aspects of what is called Stage Craft, and Light is a big part of it.

“As technology has advanced over the span of human history, the set or Stage where The Craft is done has changed. In ancient times, it was The Campfire with The Tribe communing around it. In the first cities, it was on the steps of The Great Temple. As city states turned into nations, the stage transformed into houses of worship, theatres, and towns squares, each performing acts, rituals, or Dramatizations before greater and greater audiences. As technology progressed even further, it became the television—a stage in a box. This relocated the place of communion to inside the home. Today, Television is still around and still staggeringly powerful in a psychological sense, but the stage is transitioning again. Today, the new stage is the Mobile Viewing Device, the laptop, tablet or smartphone. These are the new places of communion. These are the new places where individuals find their values, their groups, their identities, and the use of light manipulation within these mediums is obvious. 

“Through your studies of propaganda, you are already aware of many aspects of stage craft—the Framing of a narrative, the Dramatization of events to manipulate information, the amplification of psychological impact on the public mind. Even if you have not thought too deeply about it, you understand the power stage craft. However, what we will be discussing next takes the use of light to a much deeper level. This is the new craft. This is how new wars are waged. This is how new rulers rule. This is Psychotronics.”

The General clicked the remote and an anatomical image of a human eye appeared. Terms and definitions filled the right side of the screen. The students began copying. 

“The human eye perceives Electromagnetic Radiation, EMR, in wavelengths spanning from four hundred nanometers to seven hundred nanometers. This is all the colors of the rainbow to you and me. It is also a minuscule fraction of the entire electromagnetic spectrum. We do not see radio waves or microwaves. We do not see in infrared. We do not see ultraviolet rays, X-rays, or Gamma. We visually only perceive a tiny amount of the EMR around us. We have proteins in our eyes called Opsins. They have chromophore molecules, constituents that change their shape when photon absorption occurs. This photon absorption changes the molecular configuration of the chromophore in the protein. This specific type structural change is called Isomerization. It is what enables us to perceive light.”

The General glanced at the projector screen and read some of the text. 

“You should understand, Cadets, that the molecular mechanics of the eye are far more complicated than what is presented here. In very broad strokes, this is how you perceive light. Visual Perception is fantastically complicated. In my opinion, it is a miracle we can see with any acuity at all. What is most important for you to understand is that EMR can affect Molecular Structure.”

The General rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck.

“Photon Absorption is part of a phenomenon called Electron Excitation. We will not be delving into Particle Theory versus Wave Theory here. For the sake of this lecture, just understand that Photons are individual units of light. They have specific wavelengths, frequencies and energies, and as they travel they produce magnetic and electric fields. 

“Photon Absorption is the first step of Electron Excitation. Electrons exist in orbitals around atomic nuclei. Some exist closer to the nucleus. Some are further away. Probability Positioning of an electron depends on electron number, proton number and atomic stability. For more clarity on this topic, review The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle in the suggested readings of your syllabus.

“When an electron absorbs one photon, the electron will move into a higher energy state, meaning that the electron will move further away from the atomic nucleus and into an orbital or shell of greater distance from that nucleus. Please note that electrons do not orbit atomic nuclei. The term orbital is antiquated. It comes from a time prior to modern quantum theory when celestial mechanics and atomic physics were attempting to congeal. 

“The orbital change of an electron may affect the molecular bonding of a compound. When the absorbed photon is released, the electron will revert back to its lower energy state. This reversion may also alter molecular bonding.

“This is how chromophore molecules perform isomerization. An electron on the chromophore absorbs a photon. Excitation occurs, sending the electron to a higher energy state. The chromophore molecule changes its configuration due to the orbital change of the electron. The photon is released. The electron drops back to its previous energy state. In this case, meaning an opsin chromophore, the new configuration remains. An opsin chromophore’s reversion back to its original configuration is an enzymatic process.

“So, some proteins have special molecules that change shape when light is absorbed… But you might ask, ‘General Holsterman, what does this have to do with Psychological Warfare?’

“To answer this question, you must understand that opsins are not the only compounds that alter their shape through photon absorption… ALL ELEMENTS absorb photons. ALL ELEMENTS exhibit electron excitation. Therefore, all molecular compounds can be structurally manipulated by EMR.”

The General paused for a moment with a stern demeanor and a rigid jaw, embodying how important that last bit of information was. The students transcribed the words and underlined them.

“The absorption of a photon depends on the wavelength of the photon and photon energy. What is necessary for structural manipulation of a molecule is a precise control of this wavelength—A transmitting apparatus with accurate targeting capabilities is also helpful.”

The General scanned the class. He saw eyes glazing as most students were no longer taking notes as vigorously. The lecture material was beyond the majority of the class and most looked bored. 

If this lecture were in a book, it would be the part that everyone skips over, its importance and significance lost, the General thought. His eyes continued moving. He noticed a small cluster of students halfway up and toward the right side of the auditorium. There were fifteen to twenty of them. All were paying attention. All had concentration chiseled into their faces. The General smiled. At lease I’m not alone. 

The General clicked the remote and an image of the giant dinosaur breathing electric flames appeared on the screen.

“Radioactivity is a common fear among peoples of technologically advanced regions. Their concerns usually stem from giant, radioactive lizards, nuclear power plant disasters, boisterous news headlines, and absurd conspiracy theories. The public who are concerned with Radioactivity are generally concerned with what is termed, Ionizing Radiation, (IR). This type of radiation comes from the Gamma, Xray and Ultraviolet wavelengths. These are wavelengths that involve photons with high energies. When these photons are absorbed, they will not only excite an electron, they will excite it with enough energy to knock it completely away from its associative atom. A neutral atom that loses one or more of its electrons, thus giving it a positive atomic charge, is called an ion—Hence the name, Ionizing Radiation. 

“The detrimental effects of IR on organic tissues range from genetic mutation, to cancer, to sterilization. Theoretically, if an individual were exposed to enough Gamma, they could be liquified into a carbon slurry. The dangers of IR are well founded, but high level exposures are rare.

“The type of radiation few seem concerned with is Non-Ionizing Radiation, (NR). These are photons with wavelengths spanning from Visual Light to Radio. This includes the infrared and the microwave bands. Every element of the periodic table will absorb and emit photons at specific wavelengths. These wavelengths differentiate depending on the element, meaning that each element has its own Absorption and Emission Spectra, or Spectroscopy. In a laboratory setting, this can aid in identification. No two elements have an identical spectra. Each is like a fingerprint or a signature identifying a specific element. In general use, Spectroscopy only concerns itself with the visual light spectrum, meaning that the observed absorption or emission bands of an element all have wavelengths in the visual light spectrum. However, elements absorb and emit far more wavelengths than those solely observed in this narrow spectrum of light. Elements absorb and emit wavelengths of Gamma, Xray, ultraviolet, infrared, microwave and radio. To the naked eye, these wavelengths are invisible. Or to be specific, some of these wavelengths can have a Low Conscious Observability.

“Microwaves and the Infrared lend themselves as most useful in terms of psychological warfare. These wavelengths span from one centimeter to one micrometer. That’s about half the width of a penny down to the diameter of a bacterium. These wavelengths provide enough precision for line-of-sight targeting over relatively long distances. More accuracy could be garnered through shorter wavelengths—those being visual light, Ultraviolet rays, X-rays and Gamma—but their use can violate low conscious observability principles. People tend to notice when they are being shot with a green laser. Doctors tend to notice clusters of cancer. In terms of Photonic Energy Weapons, the difference between a Death Ray and a Brain Ray is wavelength. Devices that emit photons in the microwave and the infrared are most viable because they are invisible, they tend to only manipulate molecular structure rather than destroy it, and little evidence if any can be found after they have been used. Wavelengths in these bands can disrupt bodily functions such as respiration, sympathetic and parasympathetic functions, and homeostasis. Psycho-chemistry can be altered as well. Neurotransmitter Inhibition, Sodium-Potassium Channel Disruption, Hormone Degradation, Induced Cognitive Decline, Induced Loss of Critical Reasoning, Induced Euphoria, Induced Rage, Induced Paranoia, all are possible. There are Heat Rays of course. There are Sleep Rays. There are also Stupefying Rays. There are even Zombifying Rays. There are voice-to-skull rays which vibrate specific cranial bones, causing a target to hear transmitted voices inside their own heads. The manipulation of Nature’s entire chemical make up is on the table.

“Now, we have reviewed proteins and how their tertiary structures affect their function, specifically, their bonding angles and side chain interactions. When chemical compounds are bombarded with photons of specific wavelengths—In this case, precise wavelengths from microwave band—the targeted elements of a compound can undergo electron excitation. Remember, electron excitation is the movement of an electron to a higher energy state, which is further away from the atomic nucleus. These can be electrons of one element chemically bonded with another element. During electron excitation, these bonds can experience bond lengthening. Molecular structures can undergo changes in their shape and configuration due to this process. Molecules which normally have a planar structure may become pyramidal. Pyramidal molecules may stretch and become planer. This can happen to any molecule, but it is most detrimental for proteins due to a protein’s form-to-function nature.

“The process of Photon Bombardment on organic tissues is generally performed in a pulsing manner. The amount of time between photon absorption and photon emission is extremely short, meaning that the time an electron spends in an excited state is limited. It generally falls between one nanosecond and one micro second. This is the amount of time one can expect changes in bond length to last. However, with the pulsation of a transmission, electrons can be repeatedly excited inside a compound, thus causing a repetitious bond lengthening. The bond will lengthen with one excitation. The bond will then relax back to its normal state when photon emission occurs. Then the bond will re-lengthen again when the next photon is absorbed, and so on. It is the pulsation of a transmission, this relax to lengthen, relax to lengthen repetitiousness, which causes what is called molecular vibration, tiny mechanical movements reverberating throughout an entire molecular structure. In the case of a protein, this can drastically affect its ability to function.           

“Elements with greater numbers of electrons perform electron excitation more easily. This is because the further an electron is from its atomic nucleus, the smaller the energy requirement is for its excitation. Hence, the energy required to excite an outer electron on a Potassium atom is far less than the energy required to excite the lone electron on a Hydrogen atom. In general, the heavier the element is, the easier its electrons are to excite.

“This is how some Psychotronic Energy Weapons work, specifically the photonic-weapons. They are invisible. They are silent. Their use is difficult to trace, and they can be turned on-and-off on a whim. 

“Infrastructure is what is necessary for these types of weapons to be deployed—specifically, Antennae, Targeting Devices, and a robust Electrical Power Supply. Typically, their deployment is nothing more than embedded software with remote access. In our modern age, these technologies are easily cloaked within wireless communications systems and hardware. Targeting can be in a nonselective dispersal from a transmitting source,—an antenna—which recedes in effectiveness as distance from the transmitter increases. Or targeting can be selective. Selective Targeting requires the aid of devices that transmit accurate location data and transmitters that can aim and focus transmissions.”

The General scanned the room. Almost every Cadets was sitting motionless with their mouths hanging open. The General knew what most were thinking. Is this real? The General answered the unspoken question. 

“This is real, Cadets. The infrastructure is self evident. The scientific calculations are reproducible. If you are having trouble with what is being stated here, I suggest you start with the math. You can discern the plausibility of these technologies yourself.”

The General glanced up at the right side of the auditorium.  The same fifteen to twenty students who had maintained their concentration earlier were continuing to do so. The General nodded.

“Let’s talk about implementation. How best could one use these weapons?”

The General exhaled loudly.

“Well, it is entirely plausible to just flip-a-switch and turn a city into zombie land, or at least zombifying it until the antennae or the power supply is taken out. However, you should understand that efficacy of these weapons vary from one individual to the next. Biological and environmental factors play their role. Individuals living in mountainous areas, or areas with limited transmission sources, or individuals with greater bone densities or more robust tissue constructions may exhibit greater resistance to these types of weapons. It is estimated that around five percent of people exhibit a High Vulnerability to the use of these weapons, plus-or-minus three percent, depending on wavelength. The remaining population exhibits a Moderate Vulnerability with around ten percent considered as None Vulnerable. 

None Vulnerables generally live within mountainous or rural areas described previously, or they are individuals gifted with the physiological characteristics described before. Offhandedly, these individuals are called Hard Headed Targets by psychotronics operators. The manipulation of Hard Heads usually requires more pronounced or intrusive measures. It can also just be a matter of increasing signal strength. 

As for the zombification of an entire city, there would certainly be individuals within that city who were more zombified than others. That is an endgame tactic, however Cadets, and it smacks of an old, kinetic warfare mentality. Remember, it is wiser to be subtle. It is smarter to be mysterious. Great warriors direct the opponent’s fate. Let’s discuss measures more commonly used, measures with far more stealth and utility. Let’s discuss how psychotronics is used in congruence with propaganda.”

The General clicked the remote and a new page of terms and definitions appeared.

“Conditioning is one of the most studied subjects in Psychology. It hails from the subfield, Behaviorism, but conditioning experiments expand into all psychological fields. Conditioned Learning is a change in behavior that is the result of associating stimuli. Remember, a Stimulus is a specific factor that an individual is perceiving. Behavior is what an individual exhibits before and after perceiving stimuli. An example of this will make it more clear.

“Imagine a small child in a kitchen with a stove that has a pot of boiling water on it. The child has never cooked before, never really been inside a kitchen while the stove was in operation. The child is naturally curious and examines the pot which is making strange bubbling noises. The child reaches out and places a hand against the side of the boiling pot. Immediately, the child feels pain and jerks the hand away, crying and screaming. After a moment, the child looks at the boiling pot of water in a rage. The child vows to never touch any pot making that strange bubbling sound again.  

“In this case, there are two stimuli of concern. The first stimuli is the sound of the boiling pot. The second stimuli is the pain felt when the child presses their hand against the pot’s side. The child’s reaction is quickly jerking the hand away and crying. The learned behavior, or changed behavior, is the caution the child will exhibit in the future concerning pots making boiling sounds.

“In this example, the child has learned to associate the stimulus of the boiling sound with the stimulus of pain. The old behavior of curiosity, which, in this case, was the child wanting to examine what was making the strange bubbling noise, has transformed into the new behavior of caution whenever the child experiences the stimuli of boiling water.

“This is the basic idea of Conditioned Learning, the association of two or more stimuli with each other and producing a new, learned behavior.

“While pain is certainly a powerful stimulus concerning Conditioned Learning, it is by no means the only stimulus that can associate and modify behavior. The stimulus of pleasure can be just as powerful. In reality, conditioned learning is usually a far more complex process. The conditioning that an individual undergoes throughout their life is more layered and intertwined than an eagle’s nest. It influences and incorporates with an individual’s personality, their personal identity, and their world view. These are exceptionally complex constructs, Cadets, but conditioned learning plays a key role in all of them, especially in terms of morality and victimhood.”

The general clicked the remote and a new page of notes lit the screen.

“Now, the association between two or more stimuli can occur in a single incident, like with the child and the boiling water, but it usually requires multiple instances for strong stimuli association. This has to do with the potency of a stimulus. In the case of the child, the pain stimulus was extreme. It caused an immediate and powerful reaction, and the behavior modification was almost immediate. However, stimuli usually do not have this potency. A stimulus can be subtle. It can be silent. It can be invisible. It can have a low conscious observability.”

The General put his hands in his pockets.

“Imagine walking through an airport. Television monitors are everywhere. They are all displaying the same news broadcast. They are all in-sync with one another. Let’s say the sound of the news broadcast is off as well. No one can hear the news at all. They can only see the images on the numerous screens around them. In the background however, through the airport’s intercom speakers, soft music is playing. Maybe, it is a gentle song, something that might have a calming effect on the mind, something like light classical, or maybe it is song from a nostalgic era, a time in which an individual might reflect and have pleasant memories of, a happier, simpler time of their youth, so-to-speak. Now, on the news, the images that people are perceiving are pictures and clips of a specific politician or world event. How might the music of the airport—stimulus one—affect the perception of the images—stimulus two?… Could this produce stimuli association?…” 

The General scanned the auditorium.

“The answer is, YES. It can certainly produce stimuli association. However, the association would be extremely weak, just a tiny nudge upon the mind, thereby associating the feeling of calm or ease or happiness from the music with the images and clips on the news. With one occurrence, this association will in short-time disappear into the aether, no behavioral changes manifesting, but what if an individual who made this tiny association was traveling to another airport, and at that airport they perceived similar music and similar images?…

“Let’s say this specific individual was visiting three airports in a single day before spending two days on a business venture, then returning home through three more airports all of which were producing the same two stimuli?… Could the stimuli association grow? 

“The answer is, YES, most certainly. This is called compounding association. It is a powerful propaganda tactic. It is used in everything from political campaigns to commercial retail experiences to casino operations. However, it has a weakness. 

If an individual becomes consciously aware of how one stimulus is associating with another, and this association is found to be nonsensical or absurd by the individual, then the association can vanish. The spell can be broken, and the desired behavior modifications will be nullified. Propagandists describe individuals who readily pinpoint and comprehend these types of stimuli associations as being, Awake. 

“‘Awakeness’ is the propagandists’ greatest fear. As individuals become more and more awake, a propagandists’ tactical abilities decrease in efficacy. On a large scale, as more and more of a population Awaken, the effectiveness of observable propaganda tactics decrease dramatically. One solution to this problem is the use of stimuli with low conscious observability, vis-a-vis, psychotronics.

“I would like you to imagine our airport example again. Imagine the television monitors, the people walking and waiting, the piped-in music through the airport intercom system. Now add a third stimulus into the environment. Add a non selective microwave transmission which stimulates tissues in the Substantia Nigra, a region of the brain responsible for dopamine creation and release. A slight increase in dopamine levels is the result. Not a lot, just a little. This increase produces symptoms of slight euphoria. A minuscule uptick in feelings of wellbeing manifest inside the minds of the individuals in the environment. 

“To the non-awake person, this would only increase the possibility of a desired stimuli association, that association being a feeling of wellbeing either from the music or the microwave or both associating with the images of the news, but what about someone who is awake? The awake individual may still be able to disregard association between the Music and the News, but what about the Microwaves? What about the good feelings that seem to arise out of nowhere?…”

The General lifted both palms, scanning the auditorium. The Cadets sat, wide eyed, listening intently.

“In most cases, the association between the euphoria stimuli and the image stimuli is not pinpointed by the awake individual. It thus persists to possibly associate and influence behavior. However, in some instances—usually involving individuals with high critical reasoning capacities or robust linear thought processes—these individuals are able to dissuade the association between the euphoria stimuli and the image stimuli. They do this by no other means than intuition, their gut, or a strong understanding of self-primacy. These individuals are rare, about one in fifty. Operators have learned that the overuse of psychotronics on this small segment of the population can spawn forms of psychosis,—usually in the form of paranoia—but in extreme cases, schizophrenia. This is the height of irony given that a psychosis is a break from accurately perceiving reality. These individuals, however, are in fact perceiving reality with more accuracy than the vast majority of the populace.”

The General directed a hand at the projector screen.

“This is how photon based, psychotronic weapons are used in modern, psychological warfare. They produce tiny nudges on the mind in conjunction with traditional tactics of propaganda. They can also produce Big Nudges.

“You should understand the efficacy of these weapons are best in areas with greater, wireless-communications infrastructures, there-by making cities and urban scenes primed for tactical use. More rural lands—areas that do not have the communications hardware—are usually more difficult to operate in. By these postulates, I suggest that if ever in your lives you witness cities at substantial, ideological odds with rural or less signal trafficked areas, it would be prudent to investigate if psychotronic warfare is at play.”

The General walked to the lectern, uncapped a second bottle of water and drank. The students sat motionless. Their worlds were changing inside of theim. The General clicked the remote and a new page of terms and definitions appeared.

“What we have discussed so far is the use of psychotronics with concern for Photoreception. We will now be discussing Tactoreception. Remember Cadets, those are the senses of Sound and Touch. Due to principles of low conscious observability, we will be discussing, mostly, sound waves. However, these sound waves may not necessarily be stimuli a perceiver can sense with their ears.

“Sound waves travel through Mediums. In most cases, the medium of travel is the atmosphere or air around us. The propagation of sound consists of an outward moving pressure wave from its source. Imagine a stone dropping into a calm puddle of water, the ripples moving outward and away from where the stone fell. The ripples are pressure waves, Cadets. They have crests and valleys. They move in a vector away from their source. This effect is caused by the kinetic energy of the falling stone transferring into the still water of the puddle. Apply this visual into three dimensions and you will accurately visualize how sound travels through air. 

“The medium in which a sound wave travels determines the velocity of the sound wave. The denser the medium is, the faster the wave’s velocity. The sparser the medium is, the slower the wave’s velocity. If there is no medium, there is no sound wave.      

“The sensory range of conscious auditory perception—that is everything you can hear with your ears—spans from twenty hertz to twenty-thousand hertz. Specifically, that is the perception of sound waves that have a crest, or cycle, or frequency of twenty times per second to twenty-thousand times per second. This is the range of the human ear without impairment. You consciously perceive this range as Pitch. Low Pitched sounds have low frequencies. High Pitched sounds have high frequencies. There are also sound waves we do not hear, sound waves with frequencies outside our auditory range. 

The General clicked the remote and a spectrum of sound frequencies appeared.

“Sound waves with frequencies below twenty hertz are termed Infrasound. Sound waves with frequencies above twenty-thousand hertz are termed Ultrasound. We will begin this section with a brief historical framing.”

The General let the students finish copying the sound spectrum and clicked the remote again. A massive pipe organ appeared, filling the entire projector screen.

“The longest war I have ever studied, possibly the longest war in human history, is not one where swords were drawn or bullets and arrows shot. This war has been out in the open for millennia, most never understanding what they are witnessing when they observe it. This war has had ever changing factions, the oldest being The Holy Roman Catholic Church, and these various factions, authorities, or organizations are engaged in an effort to control Music. This is a psychological war, Cadets. It is also a war you could consider to be silent—Oh, the irony.

“Like all psychological war campaigns, the oppositions battle against each other in an effort to influence the masses. By whatever argumentative position either side takes, be it truth, morality or fighting the devil, or freedom of expression, creativity, or the worship of satan, make no mistake, this war is about control. Throughout history, churches, institutions and governments have banned secular music and aimed their powers at destroying pro-generators in such industries. Secular forces have always entrenched themselves and spread through infiltration, usually at first, by incorporating more outcasted members of society, then gaining popularity, flourishing, and then going mainstream. This occurs as confidence in traditional institutions degrade. The proliferation of the secular is usually a major, contributing factor in the decrease of institutional confidence in the first place. But why Music?…”

The General scanned the auditorium.

“Music has Power. Music is as much a part of humanity as singing is to birds, as stridulation is for crickets, as the-howling-at-the-moon is for wolves and coyotes. For us, music has the ability to influence reproductive activities, to heighten aggression, to recall distant memories and times, to conform ideology, to calm the erratic mind, and to excite the placid. Most of all, music has the Power of Communion. This is why the war persists. Skeptical? Just think of any large, social gathering, ancient or modern, then expound upon what role music plays within the gathering.  

“Furthermore, if you ever wish to understand Man’s pedestal above the rest of the animal kingdom, I implore you to examine music. Listen to the chirping of crickets, then listen rap and rock-n-roll. Listen birdsong, then listen to Jazz. Listen to the sounds of a forest and compare it with a symphony. The Power of Man can be observed here in all of its glory. The sheer complexities and contrivances are manifold. The stark divides that exist between Man and Animal are effortlessly witnessed in Man’s mastery of sound.

“We are far beyond The Ape, if for no other reason than our own creativity, Cadets. This is what gives us dominion over the world and responsibility for it. Therefor, to consider another person or people as animal or sub-human is an affront against The Species. It is irredeemable.”

The General clicked the remote again and a tribal campfire scene appeared.

“Throughout antiquity, sound has been used to influence the masses. This of course happens in our modern times with the propaganda tactics you are familiar with, the various forms of sound and music in all media, the dramatizations we are cocooned inside everyday. However, few know about the foundational knowledge from which these methods originate.”

The General gestured a hand to the projector screen.

“Around the campfire, The Tribe sang and clapped. They eventually invented sacred instruments and added them to their communion. The ceremonial drum, the didgeridoo, the maraca, the origins of these instruments are as old as our species. The Wise of these ancient communities observed the tribe’s emotional changes during, The Song, how tones and pitches and harmonies effected specific behaviors, what effect cadence or beat had on the body. They asked questions, experimented, observed conclusions and re-pondered hypotheses. ‘What sounds could produce greater reproductive rates?’ The Fertility Dance was born. ‘What song might give good luck to the hunt?’ The Hunter’s Song was sung. ‘What sounds could unify The Tribe in preparation for battle?’ The War Dance manifested. ‘What might terrify an enemy?’ The War Cry, The War Drum, The War Whistle… 

“Out of a chaos of clamorous noise, order arose. Communal songs were refined and passed from one generation to the next, refining more and growing in meaning, importance, and influence. 

“The study of how sound affects individual and group psychology goes back beyond recorded history. Tribal song led to overtone chanting, the harmonies and melodies of Monks, then The Choir. The invention of new instruments came to fruition. Stringed and woodwind variants developed. Most notably, The Organ appeared—an instrument of high sophistication and technology given the time of its invention. Most scholars in my field consider The Organ to be the first psychotronic energy weapon. 

“Today, almost every sound, tone, pitch and beat can be recorded, generated, or recreated electronically. This multitude of noise is available to anyone with a computer. The synthesized beats and notes are a new battlefront in the ongoing Music War, and it is by no coincidence that individuals have learned that this technology can go far beyond the creation of new songs with new sounds.

“There have always been notes, tones, and harmonies which have been considered taboo or sinister. The Devil’s Chord, or Diabolus en Musica, a tritone which can produce an eerie discomfort in a perceiver, is a famous example. The chord was banned by the Catholic Church for its evilness, or so certain scholars proclaim. There is also, The God Note, a tone at a frequency of four hundred and thirty-two Hertz. It is proposed that perceiving this frequency can produce feelings of awe, or great a calm, or give the perceiver an audience with The Almighty himself. 

“Regardless of the truth in either of these claims, it is certain that sound frequencies affect psychology. You should also understand that the use of sound to manipulate the mind is so rampant today, its stimuli potency can be extremely subdued. If a blind caveman were teleported into a modern Rave, he would go insane instantly from the abundance of noise. In reciprocality, many modern, city dwellers experience similar conditions—heightened levels of anxiety, stress, paranoia, agitation, irrationality—if they are placed in remote nature, away from the sound rich, artificial habitats of their urban climbs. For these individuals, a Great Silence is unbearable.”

The General clicked the remote. A grayscale bar with the categories Conscious Perception and Unconscious Perception appeared on the screen. The two categories indicated opposing extremes on the bar, the Conscious Perception indicating the left extreme, and the Unconscious Perception indicating the right. 

“Every sound wave that you perceive falls somewhere on this scale. The less your conscious mind is concerned with it, the further the stimuli falls away from the Conscious Perception. The normal noises of your environment, say the sounds of scribbling pencils and pens in this auditorium, will fall somewhere between the middle of this scale and toward the conscious perception end. This scribbling noise is heard by all of you. However, most of you are not aware of it as it is happening, meaning your higher brain functions are unconcerned with the noise, and the scribbling stimuli is filtered out or away from your conscious perception. Your mind has been conditioned through years of classroom experiences to be unconcerned with the noise. The scribbling fades into the background, only becoming important to listen to when say an old General asks you about it. 

“It is in the realm of Background Noise where most successful, subliminal messaging is performed, thus attempting to influence a perceiver at levels toward their unconscious. However, subliminal messages,—short phrases or single words observed by a perceiver with little to no conscious awareness—are just a small fraction of the tactics deployed in this area. There are thousands, millions of sounds and frequencies that manipulate the mind at levels just below conscious perception. Many of these sounds are derived from the environments our species’ evolved in. The sound of a campfire crackling, the sound of rain falling, the sound of thunder and wind, a baby’s cry, ecstatic tones of procreation, large animals growling, human sighs, grunts, screams, breathing, the ocean…

“These sounds themselves, or frequencies combinations derived from these sounds, can underlay an environment or any recorded media. They can have significant potency at unconscious levels, affecting emotion, basal desires, even psycho-chemistry.

“Imagine certain low frequencies of thunder just at the edge of human auditory range, propagating at a decibel below a whisper. Then loop that sound into a continuous hum. The sound of thunder—usually around twenty-seven Hertz—increases feelings of apprehension, dread, and fear, not just for humans but for most mammalian life. Now, imagine this low humming noise being played whenever a specific individual, country, or concept is presented on the news. The sound is so low in volume that few even notice it. The hum is so continuous that no derivation can be perceived. The sound is filtered by your mind into the background noise as you watch and listen to the news broadcast. Yet, at unconscious levels, the sound of thunder is there. It is performing its function of nudging the mind, ever-so-slightly, toward a pre-conditioned association, or an instinctual bias.

“This is how audible frequencies with low conscious observability are used in conjunction with propaganda. The procedure is similar to photon based conditioning, but the process is entirely psychological instead of photo-chemical.     

“These tactics are also used with a high degree of observability most notably in modern music. The bestial grunts of hard rock, the sexual moaning of pop singers, the high-pitched screams of falsetto frontmen, emulating baby sounds… Whether-or-not these tactics are part of a greater psychological campaign, I will leave it up to you to determine, but I encourage all of you to listen to music, especially modern music. Don’t just listen to the lyrics. Listen to how they are sung—How the performers bellow and wail. How the beats and cadence build and roll. Attempt to understand how these sounds are influencing your own body and psychology. Does the music increase your heart rate? Does the music produce urges of promiscuous behavior? Does the music spike your adrenaline? Does it make you experience rage? Does it null you into placidity? Does it give you focus, or does it interrupt in your thought processes? In your study, you may discover what many of these performers and groups are actually up to. It can certainly explain their popularity. It may also explain why you enjoy them so much.”

The General clicked the remote and a new page of terms and definitions appeared. The Cadets began copying as the General checked his watch. There was less than an hour left in  the period. The General exhaled.

“What we have discussed so far concerning Tactoreception has dealt with auditory sound. Even if that sound falls far and away from what a perceiver consciously observes, it is not psychotronic. There are various definitions of the term, but a key principle of psychotronic weaponry is its high-stealth and influence on a perceiver. Like the microwave photon effecting the function of a protein, the stimuli must circumvent the body’s natural senses and effluence it from afar. Auditory sound cannot do this. It relies on the ear to transfer information to the brain and then affect the body. However, there are sound waves that do perform this circumvention. Infrasound and Ultrasound are beyond the range of human auditory perception. They can affect cellular structures, organs and tissues directly. They, however, cannot target-at-a-distance with the same precision that photonic weapons possess. Because of this, Psychotronic Sound Waves, PSWs, are more applicable in specific environments—places like the insides of a building, alleyways, living rooms, or even the confines of the human skull.”

The General clicked the remote and a picture of vertical pipes appeared along the left side of the screen.

“These pipes are from the massive church organ pictured earlier. The instrument itself produces frequencies in the normal, auditory range, but it also produces frequencies in the infrasound region. These large pipes here bellow sounds below twenty hertz. They can stimulate or disrupt natural biological functions.

“PSWs are useful in business and government negotiations, hostage situations, the over taking enclosed fortified positions… Any situation where discomfort, unease, or a decrease in a target’s mental or physical capacities could be beneficial. The environment of the operation and the availability of PSW devices are the major limiting factors. 

“PSWs operate through a process called Resonance. Every object or structure, be it artificial or organic, has a natural frequency it will vibrate, or oscillate, at. This frequency is called its Resonance Frequency, and it is vulnerable to a phenomenon called Sympathetic Resonance. There are hundreds of resonance frequencies concerning the anatomy of human body. Many of these resonance frequencies fall in the infrasound region and are exploitable through sympathetic resonance tactics.  

“Sympathetic Resonance occurs when an object encounters a sound frequency that matches its own Resonance Frequency. The object will absorb the kinetic energy of the sound wave. The object will begin oscillating or transmitting its own resonance frequency out, dispelling the kinetic energy it has absorbed like a bell. 

“All of you are familiar with the anecdote of the Soprano in the music hall, the singer who shatters wineglasses with nothing more than the power of her voice?” 

The General lifted a palm and scanned the room. Some Cadets were nodding. Other were unresponsive not knowing what the General was talking about. 

“This story is not an urban myth, Cadets. It is a classic example of Sympathetic Resonance. Let’s go through the story…

“At a music hall, an audience is eating prime rib and drinking champagne at a banquet. In front of them, a Soprano is singing a particular opera piece for the audience’s entertainment. This song has a specific note that matches the resonance frequency of the wineglasses in the room. Due to the identical composition and structure of all the wineglasses, each posses the same resonance frequency as each other. The specific note is sung and the wineglasses of the hall absorb the kinetic energy of the frequency and begin to vibrate, transmitting their own resonance frequencies out and away into the room like little bells, dispelling the energy they are absorbing. However, this only compounds the situation. Since every wineglass has an identical resonance frequency, the dispelling energy of one wineglass being absorbed by the wineglasses around it. A noticeable hum begins to reverberate throughout the music hall. The hum is soft and just underneath the melodious notes emanating from the soprano. 

“At some point during the soprano’s performance, she either sings the same resonance frequency note again, or she jumps to a higher note, a harmonic, and sings it with strength, meaning at a greater decibel. A Harmonic is a specific frequency that is a positive integer of the resonance frequency. An object will absorb a harmonic in the similar manner as a resonance frequency. It is at this point when the wineglasses have had enough. They shatter. The compounding abundance of the greater and greater vibration overcomes the structural integrity of the wineglasses, and they pop-off like little, champagne firecrackers at everyone’s table. The surprised and champagne covered audience of tuxedoed men and gowned women have now had a very memorable night at the music hall.

“What you should understand is this: First, objects or structures have Resonance Frequencies. They will absorb a sound wave that has the same frequency, then vibrate in-sympathy with that sound wave. Second, Harmonic Frequencies can also induce Sympathetic Resonance. Third, many resonance frequencies and their harmonics lie outside the human auditory perception range, thus making them useful in terms of psychotronics.”

The General clicked the remote.

“Infrasounds are naturally generated by massive events. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tidal shifts, ocean swells… While we certainly hear and feel these events when they occur, we do not sense their lower, infrasound frequencies. We may experience their side effects, however… Nausea, equilibrium loss, tachycardia, vertigo, and brainwave disruption, are just a few. Infrasound frequencies can also be produced by industrial operations like mining, large-scale construction, wind turbines, and rail yard activities. Longterm exposure in high-infrasound environments produce physiological changes in the body due cellular adaptation. The thickening of arterial walls and inner linings is a common occurrence. An increase in the overall robustness or Tensegrity of cellular and extracellular structure is a cumulative effect from long exposure in these environments. This can lead to a host medical concerns such as recurring sinus and mucosal problems, indigestion, heartburn, glomerulonephritis, inflammation, arteriosclerosis, psychiatric disturbance, and various neuropathies. All of these fall under the moniker, Fibro-Acoustic Disease, and some governments have become aware of infrasound dangers and are legislating appropriately. However, large scale phenomenon are not the only methods by which infrasound frequencies can be generated. Infrasound can be produced electronically and with far more precision than any large scale event could hope to accomplish.” 

The general began to stroll the front of the stage.

“There are small devices, Cadets, devices that all of you use quite frequently, and they are most serviceable in terms of infrasound delivery… They are called headphones.

“Headphones produce tiny decibel ranges thus making the intensity of their sound wave miniscule. It is only their immediate proximity inside the ear and near the cranium which gives them any efficacy at all. Infrasound transmitted through these devices will not influence the tissues of the torso or the extremities, but there is one specific area of the body that these devices can influence. It is your head. 

“The human cranium provides an excellent medium for sound wave conduction over the entire surface area of the brain. Brain tissues generally have resonance frequencies around fourteen Hertz, but specific resonance frequencies are determinant on the composition and structure of the specific tissue. Fourteen Hertz is well inside the infrasound region, thus making most resonance frequencies of the brain imperceptible to the auditory senses. The cranium can transmit vibrations over the entire brain, and if a specific sound wave matches the resonance frequency of a tissue, that tissue can exhibit sympathetic resonance and oscillate just like a wineglass in a music hall. The effects are wide ranging and are only determined by experimental means—which are classified.”

The General lifted a palm. 

“Just know that anything from a dire emotional state to a sublime contentment in life can be induced. These effects are dependent on the target tissue and its depth within the brain media.

“While this technology produces drastic changes in psychological state, the decibel range of headphones is the major limiting factor. While at high decibel levels, sympathetic resonance can be induced more profoundly inside the cranium, however, individuals do not generally listen to media at volume intensities that would induce high sympathy. Individuals use headphones at low intensities, listening to normal media, be it music or television. No one generally listens to anything at levels that hurt their ears. Therefor, psychotronics with concern of infrasound and headphones usually operates under the cloak of mass produced media. It influences at low decibel intensities and subtle levels of sympathy. Remember Cadets, tiny nudges. You don’t need to hemorrhage the brain to produce an effect. You only need to stimulate it.                         

“If you have not noticed, much of psychological warfare does not exist within the realm of overt, easily observable tactics. It operates in the background and shadows, in the manipulation, suppression, and invention of information, be that information in the form of traditional propaganda, or in the form of environmental stimuli. The goal is to subdue the enemy, to make the enemy submit, either through a conscious, individual or communal deliberation, be this deliberation based on falsehoods or truths, or by more covert means and outflanking the physical senses, manipulating the environment, and introducing information at the level of thought manifestation. 

“If you learn anything from this class, let it be this: All of war is deception, Cadets. All of War is Deception.”

A loud buzzer rattled at the back of the auditorium, indicating that the school period was over. The Cadets sat still, waiting for the General to dismiss them.        

“Just a moment, Cadets, I apologize for keeping you over. Your homework assignment is this.”

The General clicked the remote several times before a question appeared on the screen. The question read as follows:

Due to the human body’s bilateral symmetry, its symmetrical organs, and tissue structures therein, by what methods and measures could an individual be modified into a more receptive receiver of electromagnetic stimulus?

The Cadets copied the homework assignment quickly. The General continued speaking.

“As usual, present your five-page answers to my office before next Monday. Remember Cadets, Twelve-Point-Font, Times New Roman, Double-Spaced. Got it?”

The Cadets nodded. They had heard this countless times.

“We will continue our discussion of Infrasound next week, its harmonics, and the ultrasound region. If you have not done so, you should begin reading the list of articles in your syllabus labelled Hyper Surveillance and the Rise of Artificial Intelligence.   

“Furthermore, your last class is in three weeks. Congratulations, you have almost made it through your first semester at The Academy. Your last class in The Mind of War will consist of a short lecture, then your final exam. The exam will be an essay consisting of one question. You will be able to use whatever notes you have taken throughout this semester for reference. Bring snacks and drinks if you wish. Have a productive day Cadets, DISMISSED.”