If they could create a Matrix type program

If they could create a Matrix type program and hook up all the criminals to it, do you think that would be cruel and unusual punishment?

All the prisoners would be hooked up to a machine and have to live out their sentence in a virtual world, while they were monitored by machines and fed through tubes. It would make sure that no criminal could harm anyone else while incarcerated.

BB

Well, given that it has never been done before, yes, it's definitely unusual. Not sure about cruel, probably though. Forced atrophy would cause irrevocable damage to the body. Something I believe they mentioned in the first matrix film, and then conveniently glossed over.

lmao

@sergeant-rl3: they didn't gloss over it. They had that machine that stimulated muscle growth or something. Remember that scene where neo was getting stabbed by a bunch of needles?

The question is if they built a Matrix-like digital reality how many normal people would trade their real world existence for the created. If a virtual life could be lived with all of the same feelings, senses and relationships as the actual world, but more fantastic which would they choose? If the dream allowed people to be Jedi, superheroes, pirates, knights, wizards or what have you would they give up the struggle and freedom of actual life for the facade of a better existence? I believe a significant number of people would choose the "red pill", and accept biological slavery for the reward of living out their fantasies.

Indeed. Neo needed to go through treatment to repair his atrophied muscles.

Depends on what life was like inside that prison.

I kinda consider that glossing over it. "Oh here's significant problem x, oh don't worry about that, treatment y exists, otherwise the plot would take forever..."

@sergeant-rl3: it's a futuristic setting. Of course there would be futuristic technology. Or would you rather have the whole movie be about Neo going through physical therapy and screw the rest of the plot? Also if you noticed Neo's bair it is obvious there was a time skip which would probably be where he is getting body strength up. It's not like they show every little thing in the movie or the movie would be way too long.

@Penguin-Dust: I thought about making a thread like that and asked who would be willing to live in it.

That's a nice idea, they could provide energy for the country, the most productive incarceration.

Maybe for people serving life sentences without the possibility of parole.

In other words, the very worst of humanity only.

Not for people serving a year or two:

The man: "Hey, you stole something that one time. Go and spend a year in this machine whilst we feed of your bodily energies and turn it into power for the rest of us. Once you're done, you can just carry on the rest of your miserably short existence without the use of regular bodily functions"

How about just really violent criminals?

Well...

We could be living in the Matrix and ignoring it...

Bwahahahahahahaha

@perethorn: There have been plenty of things happen in my life that could have been a glitch in the Matrix.