Nerve stapling

Nerve stapling is a common term for a medical procedure that uses the eponymous nerve stapler: a device originally designed for psychotherapy, but often applied on both Earth and Chiron to deal with social dissension.

Procedure
When strapped to a patient's head and upper back, the nerve stapler extrudes hair-fine probes into his brain and spinal column (nerve induction in more advanced environments). A psychotherapist can then use the device to inflict extreme sensations (not necessarily pain) on the patient, subjecting him to a rapid course of psychological conditioning. Unless possessed of exceptional will, the subject will usually succumb and become a calm and loyal member of society. Nerve induction is used in more technologically advanced societies.

Effects
The neurological procedure is designed to make any subject a calm and loyal member of society. The ability to  maintain  a  distinct  self-image  is  significantly decreased, and they have difficulty placing their own interests  ahead  of  those  of  the  group. Nerve-stapled citizens are  also  emotionally detached, unable to feel anger or other strong emotions. Unfortunately, this comes at the cost of much of their creative intelligence,  and  they  are  only  able  to  perform  well  at tasks that are thoroughly familiar to them.

Nerve stapling  is  usually  only  inflicted  upon  the  citizens of  police  states,  where  the  procedure  is  used  to  quell unrest. Since the  procedure  has a drastic effect on the subject's ability to innovate, most faction leaders are reluctant to  use  it  for  fear  of  losing  their  technological  edge. The procedure  wears  off,  but  slowly. Without treatment  to  reverse  the  procedure,  a  nerve-stapled  citizen  might  require  several  years  to  recover  his  natural  psychological  balance.