A temporary euphoria,
or a void, calling upon us?

This section explores the role of emotions, and emotional design in the modern world

There is an explosion of information
There Is a societal level of anxiety
We are living in an new era of loneliness
We are moving towards a new void without war
Emotion is innate human nature
Emotion's behind all the stereotypes we created and rationalized

We seek distractions
We go on an endless loop
......

Process

The process image

The modern day emotional pandemic

We might be moving to an emotional “crisis”. Heightened emotions and highly exaggerated and arbitrary matters are rushing to us while we stay connected to the world.
The intense and frequent triggers make our brain fatigue, just like any other drugs, and could affect our threshold towards pain and tragedies.
This crisis is not acute pain, but a chronic illness that would slowly creep up on us, of which the consequences we do not yet know.
For example, smart personal devices have created social-distancing and isolation without the help of the Covid pandemic.
Instagram began to hide the “likes” features in certain countries for users’ mental well-being.
Speed and efficiency have become so widespread that loading a web-page for more than 5 seconds would annoy us.
In the context of Singapore, a power outage would likely to create a panic towards no aircon than no lighting.
Sooner or later we may even forget how to drive, or even climb stairs for more than 5 steps.
The effect of emotions is way farreaching than that. Looking back on racism, holocaust and extreme events happened in human history.
The effect of emotions were substantial.

"The effect of emotions were substantial."

· All things emotional ·

Tap into the SOMA pills and placebo

The modern day SOMA pills

As such, might the Placebo effect and the symbolism of SOMA be used together as a short-term resolution towards the Emotional Pandemic in the world today?

The SOMA pills

“half a gramme for a half-holiday, a gramme for a week-end, two grammes for a trip to the gorgeous East, three for a dark eternity on the moon...”
--- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

Antidepressant and hallucinogenic; Escape pain, discomfort, embarrassment, sadness or anger; Enhance joy, arousal, sense of wellbeing.

Placebo

Red, yellow, orange - stimulant
Blue & green - tranquilizing
Larger pills induce stronger effect than smaller pills
--- MedicalNewsToday

50%-70% placebo response rate in antidepressant trials; Found effective in anxiety disorders, coughs, erectile dysfunction, IBS, chronic pain, epilepsy...

The pills could be produced in colours ranging from red to blue on the spectrum, with 3 variant sizes depending on severity of void symptoms and body metrics. The pills must be prescribed by doctors.

A brave new world?

However - if really as what Huxley pictured - if one day even death and suffering are seen as funny and shameful to moan for, or there would always be SOMA to turn to, have we not lost our humanity to a certain extend? Would that be the end of us, due to the loss of emotional sensitivity and a lack of proper emotional outlet?