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"Science fiction is the very literature of change. In fact, it is the only such literature we have."
- Frederik Pohl
 |
| Bendix Anxiety Reducer | ||
| Machine-based psychotherapy. |
Elwood Caswell knew he was a homicidal maniac. That's why he hurried into the Home Therapy Appliances Store.
| "Oh," said the clerk, glancing distrustfully at Caswell's bloodshot eyes. "You seem a little nervous. Perhaps the portable Bendix Anxiety Reducer."
"Anxiety's not my ticket either. What have you got for homicidal mania?" |
| From Bad Medicine,
by Robert Sheckley. Published by Not known in 1956 Additional resources -
|
Science fiction readers have had plenty of sessions with computer therapists; consider the Sigfrid von Shrink from Frederik Pohl's 1970 novel Gateway, Dr. Smile from Philip K. Dick's 1965 novel The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch and the machine psychologists from James Blish's 1957 novel Cities in Flight.
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