Empathy by Hoa Pham

Author:Hoa Pham
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MIT Press
Published: 2022-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Khanh and Giang embraced me, heedless of the security camera in the room.

- Talk aloud. So they don’t suspect…

“What happened? What’s this?” Giang glanced over the summary report.

“It’s about us…” Khanh was riveted by the sentences of the discussion.

- They created empathy by studying we.

- What?

- They created empathy by studying our neurochemistry.

“Why have they done this?” asked Khanh aloud.

“Because they could. They had the power and resources to test empathy with us.” I had slipped up. It was too hard separating thoughts from verbal words.

The sliding door to the data room opened and Evelyn came back in.

“You multiples are astute and smart women. That’s why we need you on-side. To fully research empathy on willing participants. Empathy is more than an aphrodisiac. It makes people feel how other people feel. It negates aggression and promotes understanding. We can use it to make peace. As we briefed Khanh and Giang here.”

An inkling of what she was talking about dawned on me then. The effects of Khanh and Giang on me. From individual to large-scale. And I was horrified.

“Chemical warfare,” Khanh said.

“No. The opposite of warfare. We have seeded water supplies with empathy. And thousands of people take empathy regularly of their own free will.”

“But it’s only been around for five years…” I said.

“Only commercially available for five years. We’ve had ample time to test it in Việt Nam and do what needs to be done.”

“You’re pacifying whole populations with empathy!” I exclaimed. My anger had found a target. I had been manipulated and used for the last time.

“Not pacifying. We are accelerating altruism and empathy for others. The human race has not outgrown its aggressive capacity in time to preserve lives.”

“So what do you need us for now?” I asked. “More tests?”

“We need you for observation and for you to design and run different tests to better develop empathy and other medications. You five are very special. We can set you up in a large house with four bedrooms overlooking the lake. You will be reporting in every so often but you will not be monitored.”

“You would set Lien free?”

“Yes. She is best rehabilitated with you others. She will have a monitoring bracelet but that is all. You will receive a salary. You can tell other people that you are sisters and cousins.”

It was everything I wanted. But Camille…

My mind shied away from thinking about Camille. Instead, I thought about the Department. I did not want to be a lab rat for the rest of my life.

- Shush now. We are citizens of Aotearoa. Just go along with them for now.

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