Before Memory Science, There Was Science Fiction

(Wired, 11/04/2009)

Peace on Earth and The Futurological Congress by Stanislaw Lem: Peace on Earth mashed up psychiatry, espionage and militarism, while the The Futurological Congress brought Lem's psychochemical fascination to a head, with drugs affecting mood, personality, beliefs and — of course — memories. "After a while, the protagonist becomes very suspicious about everything going on, because there could be some drug manipulating it," said Sandberg. "And of course it always turns out that he's not paranoid enough. It's The Matrix done chemically."