Have Whit's Inventions Gone Too Far?

Please discuss!

Whit's wiping down the counter, Connie's mopping the floor, and the kids are sipping on their milkshakes. If you want to talk about Adventures in Odyssey the radio drama, this is the spot to do just that!
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Monica Stone
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Have Whit's Inventions Gone Too Far?

Post by Monica Stone »

Oookay. I have been itching to discuss this! And I'm not trying to be a Karen here, I swear. :lol: I think this is an interesting conversation worth having. The question is, "Have Whit's Inventions Gone Too Far?"

I honestly never thought about this topic before album 69. Whit's inventions have always required suspension of belief. That is to be expected his sci-fi-esque dabblings. However, recently with album 69 & the latest interview with Phil Lollar on the AIOWiki Podcast, this seems like a discussion fans need to have. The writers and the show itself have become more self-aware. Phil Lollar himself is pushing fans to meditate and ponder upon the morality of recent episodes and Whit's actions themselves. One of the roots of the conversation involves Whit's inventions. Are they morally acceptable? Is Whit being manipulative with his inventions? Does the good in his inventions outweigh the bad? Etc, etc, etc.

First, I would like to address the possible physical danger of his equipment.

Whit's technology has become tremendously dangerous as of late. Take, for example, the "portable Imagination box" (or, as the fans prefer to call it "the cobble box"). The logistics are unclear, but there are certain things we know for a fact. The cobble box is small and can be set up anywhere. One does not "enter" the cobble box. Nay, it is too small. The box can simply snatch one's imagination and consciousness away from them without warning and one may not even realize it. Of course, I'm referring specifically to the incident in "Further from the Truth." Emily walked into the kitchen at Whit's End and was unknowingly swept into a program. A whole day seemed to pass in the station. When she figured out she was in the Imagination Station, she realized only 5-10 minutes had actually passed. She found herself standing at the kitchen sink when the program freed her mind. Horrifying, right? Of course, one may try to justify this, saying, "Whit didn't program the adventure! It was Morrie whole stole the box and set the trap for Emily!" True, Whit didn't set up that specific adventure. But why on earth does Whit have such equipment in the first place? What purpose could he have for it? It is absolutely weaponizable. It has been weaponized by Whit (among others) to take down a notorious spy and de-escalate a hostage situation. In that case, Whit used his technology for good. But the question remains...Should Whit have this technology at all? Do the ends (capturing the spy) justify the means (Whit owning and using this technology in the first place)? I would also like to point out that the Inspiration Station functions similarly to the cobble box. One doesn't need to "enter" the Inspiration Station to have an adventure. With the push of a button, it simply takes the user's mind captive. So the cobble box isn't the only instance of a potentially physically harmful machine.

Now, the secondly, we must discuss the mental harm involving Whit's inventions.

I think we can all probably agree Whit's inventions (such as the Room of Consequence, Imagination Station, etc.) are not inherently bad and can be used for good. I think a good use of the Room of Consequence is demonstrated in "Rewinding the Big Picture." If you are unfamilar with the episode, Camilla goes to Whit and tells him about her best friend, Maisey, who is going through a hard time. Camilla doesn't know how to reach Maisey and aid her in the best way. Camilla feels like she blew it. So, Whit programs a ROC adventure so Camilla can relive the day with her friend and have the opportunity to rewind everything that happens and try different strategies to help her friend. This is a good adventure; Camilla comes to Whit for advice and Whit's answer is a ROC adventure. Camilla is thrilled about the premise of the adventure (and even programs a tiny bit of it herself) and learns a simple but valuable lesson. This is wholesome. This is good. I like this usage of Whit's inventions.

Compare that to "Things Not Seen." Whit takes Renee on an Imagination Station adventure to Biblical times. She thinks she leaves the station, but instead never does. She lives out a day of her life at Whit's End, believing she is working a regular shift, but in actuality is the Imagination Station the whole time. *dramatic gasp* Whit uses the adventure to try to teach Renee about faith (something she is adamantly against). This is pretty manipulative and unfair of Whit, imo. I can dig further into my argument if anyone so desires, but if not, I'll leave it at that. If you disagree, dispute me. I am open to being proven utterly wrong.

Now, onto another point of contention. Are Whit's programs truly traumatizing to users? Phil Lollar himself has argued this is the case. I can totally see where he's coming from and I think I agree in some cases. HOWEVER, the kids (usually) know that everything they are experiencing is virtual and that probably helps them in their fears and reservations about the machine(s). That does not mean these programs cannot mentally harm children. Say an 11-yr-old watches an R-rated gory horror movie. Even if the child knows that everything isn't real, it can indeed traumatize them and leave images in their mind that could haunt them for years. It's one of the reasons I don't think I, personally, could ever stomach a horror movie. The movie would haunt my memory for God knows how long. I think the same can be said for Whit's programs. A child may know an adventure in fake, but seeing the bloody, awful Crucifixion of Jesus could scar them for life. A child could be scarred by seeing Joab murder Absalom before their own eyes. A child may be traumatized from getting into a virtual car crash, killing their best friend, and paralyzing themself. These are all things that happened in Whit's inventions. Are we saying these programs were okay? Even if the child should come out psychologically unscathed, do we think it's okay for Whit to program such adventures? Where do we draw the line?

Gahh. This is really messy when one has to take off their lenses that suspend their disbelief. It kinda feels like Phil Lollar is asking us to do so. It certainly makes for a fascinating conversation. Let's talk it up! I'm excited. \:D/

Are Whit's inventions too much? Are they acceptable in some situations but unacceptable in others? What episodes in particular do you think are crucial to mention in this conversation?
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A2Z
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Post by A2Z »

You forgot to mention Novacon's use of Whit's technology. That would be a not-very-good use for it. Other than that, I think this is a very good argument.
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Post by Bob »

Unusually for me, this is a meta answer and doesn't directly answer the question, but it might be useful in providing context, so at Brownie's suggestion, I'm posting it anyway.

Part of the trouble with Whit's technology is that it was originally intended to function as a plot device, not as a real device.

The writers wanted to tell stories in Biblical or historical settings, using the perspective of a 'modern' character to help listeners to better understand and identify with what was happening.

This was apparently a big problem for them, because they tried several means of resolving it, all in a relatively short window of time:

1) "The Day Independence Came" is a dream sequence. It works, but it requires the specific circumstances we see in the episode (someone who is already knowledgeable about the subject), and it's repetitive and strains credulity to have someone go unconscious every time they want to work in this setting.
2) In "Return to the Bible Room", they tried direct storytelling. It's a solid episode, but it's hard to believe that anyone has that good of an imagination. It also requires a narrator, and characters who are willing and cooperative participants with him.
3) "The Shepherd and the Giant" uses technology via the "Environment Enhancer", and involves Connie as both a somewhat unwilling and ignorant participant, something that neither the dream sequence or storytelling approaches could have overcome. However, the Environment Enhancer has its own problems; it's audio-only, and with no obvious visual or interactive component, it still is missing something.

This is in the late '80s, when Star Trek: The Next Generation was airing and popular, and virtual reality was getting in vogue. So, the obvious plot dressing solution is to make a holodeck, which, from a writing standpoint, has all of the advantages of each of the approaches the writers previously used, and none of their downsides. Enter the Imagination Station.

At this point, it was only a plot device, with a tenuous reality in AIO continuity: whenever it isn't actually being used as a means to tell its story, it seems to disappear neatly into the writers' Twilight Zone. There are rarely lasting repercussions from an "Imaginary" episode, and if any characters remember the I.S. exists in their day-to-day lives, they're disinterested and dismissive of it. As a writer, this is a safe solution, albeit one that lends itself to ridicule.

However, the writers' temptation to start to look at the ramifications of having it in the real world apparently became overwhelming. "The Mortal Coil" is the first episode I'm aware of that overtly did this, setting a tone that was followed up later by episodes like "A Touch of Healing" and, indirectly, the entire Novacom saga. All of these episodes were wildly successful and considered to be great (if sometimes controversial), reinforcing the perceived merits of this approach.

The trouble is that the concepts of having the Imagination Station as a plot device for listeners and the Imagination Station as a real device for characters don't comfortably overlap, as we've seen very well in the last few weeks of fan discussion. You can't have an episode where fans understand that "anything goes" (because it's a plot device and isn't quite real even in the Odyssey world) if you also regularly run episodes where it's potentially dangerous technology susceptible to misuse. Fans were able to ignore or doublethink through this for a while, but a peculiar combination of episodes that were both particularly controversial (leading us to question both Whit and Phil Lollar's judgments) and particularly blatant in depicting 'ramifications' (with Morrie's creeper box) seems to have finally broken that delicate balance of suspension of disbelief.
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Post by ByeByeBrownie »

^^^^
THIS.

After decades of use (and at times misuse) of VR technology at Whit's End, the Imagination Box (or Cobble Box or Creeper Box or whatever you want to call it) seems to have finally been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.

I'm going to break up my analysis by invention for the time being:


Imagination Station
As mentioned above, we're willing to accept the imagination station as a plot device that allows us to tell stories from other times and places. Even the more intense scenes and scenarios presented there can be passed off as not much different from seeing the same type of thing in a movie or on television (which, to acknowledge Monica's point, can still have a profound effect on people). I would also like to propose (but this is totally just a headcannon) that the IS tech is likely equipped with some kind of filter that is able to dull or intensify the scope of what the user experiences--not dissimilar to how you might experience things in a dream--more conceptually than realistically, if that makes any sense at all.

But, of course, as stated above, the writers could not leave well enough alone and simply allow the Imagination Station to remain merely a vehicle for storytelling. And that's where things get messy. Any major drama surrounding the Imagination Station has been (in my very humble opinion) a result of people "messing around with something [they] have no business with," to quote Tom in The Mortal Coil, Part 1.

In my book, the Imagination Station's only ethical use is as little more than a study tool. Developing it to the point where it can be used to remotely hijack someone's consciousness is not okay. End of story.


Room of Consequence
Although it makes for some of the more entertaining episodes, I have never been especially keen on the room of consequence. Most of the time its use is quite similar to the scare-the-devil-out-of-you preaching tactics of the camp meeting era, and I'm just not really into that. For Three Dollars More is a great illustration of this. In this episode, Matthew and Connie each try their hand at creating an ROC adventure for Barrett, with lackluster results. Barrett ends up frustrated because he realizes that the programs are simply attempting to manipulate his emotions. I can't really fault Matthew and Connie, though, because they are really just imitating (albeit in a less sophisticated manner) what they've seen Whit do.
Monica Stone wrote:I think a good use of the Room of Consequence is demonstrated in "Rewinding the Big Picture." If you are unfamilar with the episode, Camilla goes to Whit and tells him about her best friend, Maisey, who is going through a hard time. Camilla doesn't know how to reach Maisey and aid her in the best way. Camilla feels like she blew it. So, Whit programs a ROC adventure so Camilla can relive the day with her friend and have the opportunity to rewind everything that happens and try different strategies to help her friend. This is a good adventure; Camilla comes to Whit for advice and Whit's answer is a ROC adventure. Camilla is thrilled about the premise of the adventure (and even programs a tiny bit of it herself) and learns a simple but valuable lesson. This is wholesome. This is good. I like this usage of Whit's inventions.
This is an excellent example of proper use of the ROC: simply allowing someone to see how choices can realistically play out, so that they can make their own informed decisions.


Inspiration Station
I don't really have much to say about this one. We don't have very many specifics on it. I feel like it's just the other VR device they use whenever their purposes don't fall into the IS or ROC buckets. :lol:


My thoughts on this are quite messy and disjointed, so please forgive me if this makes no sense at all. I will likely have more to contribute as this conversation evolves. :)
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Post by Monica Stone »

Bob wrote:Part of the trouble with Whit's technology is that it was originally intended to function as a plot device, not as a real device.
^^Brilliant. Fantastic post! You made several points that I hadn't really considered.
Bob wrote: However, the writers' temptation to start to look at the ramifications of having it in the real world apparently became overwhelming. "The Mortal Coil" is the first episode I'm aware of that overtly did this, setting a tone that was followed up later by episodes like "A Touch of Healing" and, indirectly, the entire Novacom saga. All of these episodes were wildly successful and considered to be great (if sometimes controversial), reinforcing the perceived merits of this approach.

The trouble is that the concepts of having the Imagination Station as a plot device for listeners and the Imagination Station as a real device for characters don't comfortably overlap, as we've seen very well in the last few weeks of fan discussion. You can't have an episode where fans understand that "anything goes" (because it's a plot device and isn't quite real even in the Odyssey world) if you also regularly run episodes where it's potentially dangerous technology susceptible to misuse. Fans were able to ignore or doublethink through this for a while, but a peculiar combination of episodes that were both particularly controversial (leading us to question both Whit and Phil Lollar's judgments) and particularly blatant in depicting 'ramifications' (with Morrie's creeper box) seems to have finally broken that delicate balance of suspension of disbelief.
"Morrie's creeper box." That's so accurate and I love it, I may start using that term. :lol:

The part of the reason "The Mortal Coil" and "A Touch of Healing" work is because they take the Imagination Station — something we've seen be used for good — and show how good people can unintentionally do bad things with the station. "The Mortal Coil" focused on how Whit tried to recreate the afterlife in a downright dangerous way. He had good intentions but good intentions don't always lead to good itself. "A Touch of Healing" (forgive me if I'm misstating anything, I've only heard the episode once :oops:) also focused on Jason, whose good intentions didn't result in good itself. The Imagination Station is shown time & time again to be a good device but can be manipulated for evil (as especially prevalent in the Novacom saga).

I took a quick look of all of the Imagination Station episodes listed on AIOWiki. The show starts getting both self-aware and extremely unaware is "Things Not Seen." The show has used the "they were in the Imagination Station the whole time" plot twist to varying degrees of success. "Things Not Seen" is the episode that got fans (at least myself) thinking, "Hmm, I don't think I like this use of the Imagination Station." It wasn't played to prove Whit overstepped his boundaries with the equipment (which he did). He was portrayed in the right. Until that point, I could suspend my disbelief and shrug it off as "meh, it's Whit's tech, he's using it for good, it's sci-fi, don't think too seriously!" This is the first time that made me think, "Maybe this tech isn't so good, even for Whit to use." And I continued to shrug the episode off and thinking of it as that one weird episode where Whit is really manipulative. But things start derailing in *certain* Rydell Saga episodes with his tech.

Remember when Whit decided to delete Applesauce because it did more harm than good? I need that moment all over again, but this time with Whit's tech. That would be glorious.

"The Rydell Revelations" poked a ton of holes in the show with possibly no intention to resolve any of the technology/Whit-related mayhem. It's really messing with me.
ByeByeBrownie wrote: In my book, the Imagination Station's only ethical use is as little more than a study tool. Developing it to the point where it can be used to remotely hijack someone's consciousness is not okay. End of story.
=D> =D>
I must also mention (because I can't stop harping on this point) that it's also not okay to manipulate someone into entering the Imagination Station and allowing them to think they have left, but actually keep them in there longer without their knowledge. I give "Isaac the Chivalrous" a pass due to the episode content, but not "Things Not Seen." The more I think about it, the more I realize how many levels of messed up it is.
ByeByeBrownie wrote: I would also like to propose (but this is totally just a headcannon) that the IS tech is likely equipped with some kind of filter that is able to dull or intensify the scope of what the user experiences--not dissimilar to how you might experience things in a dream--more conceptually than realistically, if that makes any sense at all.
I've had that headcanon too and I love it! I feel like Phil Lollar doesn't agree with this headcanon, as shown by his recent interviews, but the show hasn't said anything contrary to the headcanon, therefore I will pretend this is what actually happens. :lol:

Another question that I want to pose is: What's the solution to all of this madness? Ideally, what do we want to happen in the canon of the show to address all of this?
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Post by Noodle Productions »

Monica Stone, you said:
"A child may be traumatized from getting into a virtual car crash, killing their best friend, and paralyzing themself"
What episode was that in?
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Post by CarlR »

Noodle Productions wrote:Monica Stone, you said:
"A child may be traumatized from getting into a virtual car crash, killing their best friend, and paralyzing themself"
What episode was that in?
No Boundaries.
Last edited by CarlR on Sat Sep 05, 2020 7:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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