In the novel Blindsight, scramblers present a unique challenge to humanity. These intelligent beings do not initiate contact, instead engaging in a form of total war against humans due to their excessive communication. Signals received may carry no real value, often coded as deceptive nonsense that consumes cognitive resources without offering meaningful information. This phenomenon illustrates a scenario in which potential allies or threats can become indistinguishable, leading to confusion and strategic disadvantage. The presence of such signals characterizes a broader attack against human communication capabilities.
Evolution and experience offer a variety of paths to follow, branch-points in the flowcharts that handle such input. Sometimes these signals come from conspecifics who have useful information to share, whose lives you'll defend according to the rules of kin selection.
The only explanation is that something has coded nonsense in a way that poses as a useful message; only after wasting time and effort does the deception becomes apparent.
Viruses do not arise from kin, symbionts, or other allies. The signal is an attack.
You decode the signals, and stumble: I had a great time. I really enjoyed him. Even if he cost twice as much as any other hooker in the dome.
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