I came across the term “Psychotronic” in late 1998. I was surfing infowar-dot-com and saw a piece on “Psychotronic War: IW (information warfare) & Bioeffects of DEWs (Directed Energy Weapons)” I believe the term owes its origin to a Soviet think tank obsessed with Star Wars. Of the many characteristics of "psychtronic war," one is its potential to alter the data-processing systems in the body. This was quoted  in an article by Timothy L Thomas, published in the Spring 1998 issue of Parameters. 

The article, is captivatingly titled, “The Mind Has No Firewall." Before I proceed further, let me explain the term firewall. Long back, “firewall” wormed its way into the thesaurus. Simply put, it is a sentry who stands at the gate of the network and shouts, “who goes there?” and then “haath uppar, pehchan ke liye age barh (raise your hands and come forward to be identified).” 

If the mind has no firewall, then any malicious software can pass through the gateway to the brain and implant a virus, a worm in the brain. The more I thought about this possibility, the more I felt it called for  deeper study. That there would be some explanation of the phenomena in our scriptures weighed on my mind. After all, our ancestors did talk about the deadly combination of Shastra and Mantra (weapon and code). The mantra of course is, “ I am the shakti,” and the weapons not only the bramhastra that destroys the enemy but also  that which affects the data and data processing systems in the body. 

Malicious software, in the form of viruses, worms and Trojan Horses, can be planted in any computational system or  network. They proliferate, some replicating and multiplying. So do hoaxes and hypes. As to why we believe in them is explained by the theory of meme dissemination. A meme is a virus of the mind. It  self-replicates, adapting, mutating and teasing the human intellect. It, then hacks the cerebrum, and germinates what we popularly call mind-set. 

The data captured by the sensory organs or internally generated stimuli becomes information after it is processed by the cerebrum, or a myriad of lower-level processors that the human body is endowed with. When information is sanitized and divested of “noise” or unwanted meme, it becomes intelligence. The data, before or after it is processed, can be manipulated or changed just as the data in any hardware system can be altered. Further, “noise” can be induced with a view to corrupting the mind. This is precisely how the various cults work; This is what PSYOPS is all about. Let me revert back to the meme theory. It is not the genes but the memes which configure the collective psyche of a people. “Hindus are cowards,” is a meme of a warped mind. It does not require a psychologist to tell us that if you call a person coward and repeat it ad nauseam, he will become one. In the lexicon of information warfare, this is nothing but technotronic terrorism, and the irony of it is that it is indigenous and self-imposed. 

There is a thesis on “Hoaxes and Hypes,” authored by Sarah Gorden et al which mentions five factors central to the reasons for transmission and propagation of hoaxes, hypes, myths, canards and disinformation. On top of her list, is the belief structure and the perceived authority of the person germinating the idea. 

The wonder weapons that modern technology are toying with are acoustics, microwaves, and lasers that can surreptitiously enter the brain, affecting the psycho-physical condition of man and his decision-making abilities. Scientists are searching the electromagnetic and sonic spectrums for wavelengths and inventing gadgets like VHF-generators and “noiseless cassettes” that modify human behaviour to implant negative emotions e.g., fear, pity, remorse and terror. However, it is the optical that is deadly. 

Indians place their unflinching trust in the print media, lately, it has shifted to the TV. Choosing where to draw the line between truth and fiction can be questionable. Suffice it to say that it would be naïve to underestimate the effect that the media has upon our thoughts and opinions. Media has a proclivity for the bizarre and the gruesome. The sense of power and knowledge, and the pleasure one gets by watching or reading about the latest scandal or the shame of wailing and breast-beating relatives of the hostages, if this is not terror, what else is? It tends to encourage us to share it more widely, possibly embellishing the truth and country's honour, just to titillate the mind and increase the excitement . 

Viruses and memes are often passed along by people with a sincere interest in protection of the system. This mind-set provides a way to demonstrate commitment to further the causes dear to oneself e.g., bus diplomacy or the Taliban legitimacy and place increased reliance on the person responsible for doing the “protecting.''