The Betazoids from Star Trek are a race of humanoid empaths with the ability to communicate telepathically and sense others’ emotions and thoughts. The advantages of such an ability are invaluable. Betazoids are basically walking, thinking, feeling lie detectors. They’re real-life Jaspers of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series, able to sense people’s feelings and act accordingly. Job possibilities would instantly open to them: they would make keen counselors and therapists, intuitive judges in courtrooms (although probably a bit more biased), insightful job interviewers, and very understanding negotiators towards terrorists or suicidal bridge-jumpers.
Now though this sounds like a wonderful superpower, the abilities of a Betazoid can be unnerving to other people. Think of the effects that the presence of a Betazoid would have on the people around him. Living in the United States, the ability to know others’ feelings would undoubtedly be considered an invasion of personal privacy. As writer Christopher Paolini's fictional character Brom tells his pupil Eragon, "Once you're inside your enemy's mind, it's easy enough to anticipate what he will do and prevent it." (pg. 245)Since the human mind is a private place, even if the thoughts of a person are not accessible, wouldn’t you be a little afraid to know that other people—regular-looking on the surface—could know exactly how you feel at all times?
Secrecy would be pointless because a Betazoid could instantly feel that you’re hiding something. And the façade of a seemingly strong leader would be shattered because a Betazoid would see right through it and most likely call the person on it. Those putting up the façade would be stripped of dignity and respectability because all the Betazoids would know he is a sham.
If humans and Betazoids were to mingle, we humans would feel so invaded. A gift that could be used for good would be shunned because people would develop a fear for those with it.
For more extensive information about the Betazoid race, visit this website: http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Betazoid
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
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It would be very interesting, yet very unnerving, to have real life Betazoids walking around among us. To be in the presence of someone who knows exactly what I am thinking at all times would creep me out. Also, people with this power could easily take advantage of their power. They could play off our worries and fears and get whatever they wanted whenever they wanted.
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