Dr. K (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
abyss_also_gazed) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
bakerstreet2017-02-14 01:22 am
abyss_also_gazed) wrote in bakerstreet2017-02-14 01:22 am
we're all a little MAD here
They say there's a fine line between genius and madness; you say that, in the pursuit of scientific inquiry, there are often times when one has no choice but to approach that line, and then take a flying leap across it. They laughed at your ideas (or perhaps threw you out for your total disregard of all ethical principles of experiment design), but now you'll show them! You'll show them all! You'll take your results back to wipe the smug looks off the faces of those peons you used to call colleagues, and make sure their last few moments on this earth are spent in awe of your genius!
Put on your lab coat and goggles, because it's time to do some...
MAD SCIENCE
1. New Specimen - maybe something has fallen into your hands that's exactly what you were looking for, or maybe it's like nothing you've ever seen before; either way, you have a new object or a new lifeform (thinking of them as a person might complicate things) to begin experiments on, and it's time to begin its intake assessment.
2. Welcome to my secret lair on Skullcrusher Mountain - they say that a madman falling in love with you is a scarier situation than a madman wanting to kill you. But surely the object of your affections has nothing to fear from you! Perhaps a little transparency about your work will help them to feel more -- no, no, darling, why are you screaming? Those are just shoggoths, and they're as harmless as kittens, I assure you!
3. Pygmalion - Finally, your creation is perfect - your experiment has been a total success, and the specimen it produced is everything you hoped it would be. In fact, its perfection is intoxicating, and no matter what your detractors may say, you knew from the moment you set eyes on the finished product that this is the pinnacle of your work in this world. And you can't help loving what you've brought forth, in the creepiest way possible.
4. Lab Assistant - Whether you're the comic foil to your master's straight man or the PFY to their BOFH, you need this job for reasons far beyond what you can articulate to laypeople. But will your master lead you to unexpected wisdom, or will they strip away your conscience along with your sanity?
5. Henchman - Despite the fact that the local medical center/drug testing facility/volcano lair/etc. offers excellent benefits and competitive pay, it always seems to be hiring, no matter how many people you know who have recently gone on to the final stage of the "onboarding" process. Maybe it's time you checked it out yourself. Maybe it's time to prove that you're better than all those who have come before you in protecting your new boss's... assets.
6. Running the Experiment - Finally, all the preparations are complete for your latest stroke of genius. All the equipment is set up, you've acquired the necessary specimens (some of whom, perhaps, are sapient and aware enough of their surroundings to be terrified), and it's time to begin gathering data. Hopefully, your experiment design is up to the task.
7. Sharing Your Findings - This was a triumph (you're making a note here: huge success) and it's hard to overstate your satisfaction. This is something you can't just keep to yourself - it deserves to be shared with someone, whether it's a close associate who understands your work, a conference ofhorrified thoroughly impressed colleagues, or maybe even the specimen you're in the process of vivisecting. Talking about it makes it real, after all.
8. Experiment Gone Awry - Not every experiment goes according to design; sometimes, your initial assumptions are mistaken, or there's a slight error in your calculations, or your experimental subject lurches off into the night to terrorize the villagers the very moment you turn your back... And sometimes, those failures are exciting, but in your line of work, more often they are outright terrifying, at least for everyone who isn't you.
9. Torches and Pitchforks - Maybe one too many of your experiments has lurched off into the night to terrorize the villagers. Maybe the villagers have just found out about the real nature of your experiments, and are callously slinging around terms like "blasphemous," "evil," "unethical," and "evidence of a complete disregard for fundamental human rights" without even attempting to understand your vision. Either way, it's clear that this time, they mean to do more than picket your laboratory.
10. Other - Experiment design is what science is all about, especially mad science. If the above scenarios don't suit your fancy, create your own, and don't forget to record your results for posterity.
Put on your lab coat and goggles, because it's time to do some...
MAD SCIENCE
1. New Specimen - maybe something has fallen into your hands that's exactly what you were looking for, or maybe it's like nothing you've ever seen before; either way, you have a new object or a new lifeform (thinking of them as a person might complicate things) to begin experiments on, and it's time to begin its intake assessment.
2. Welcome to my secret lair on Skullcrusher Mountain - they say that a madman falling in love with you is a scarier situation than a madman wanting to kill you. But surely the object of your affections has nothing to fear from you! Perhaps a little transparency about your work will help them to feel more -- no, no, darling, why are you screaming? Those are just shoggoths, and they're as harmless as kittens, I assure you!
3. Pygmalion - Finally, your creation is perfect - your experiment has been a total success, and the specimen it produced is everything you hoped it would be. In fact, its perfection is intoxicating, and no matter what your detractors may say, you knew from the moment you set eyes on the finished product that this is the pinnacle of your work in this world. And you can't help loving what you've brought forth, in the creepiest way possible.
4. Lab Assistant - Whether you're the comic foil to your master's straight man or the PFY to their BOFH, you need this job for reasons far beyond what you can articulate to laypeople. But will your master lead you to unexpected wisdom, or will they strip away your conscience along with your sanity?
5. Henchman - Despite the fact that the local medical center/drug testing facility/volcano lair/etc. offers excellent benefits and competitive pay, it always seems to be hiring, no matter how many people you know who have recently gone on to the final stage of the "onboarding" process. Maybe it's time you checked it out yourself. Maybe it's time to prove that you're better than all those who have come before you in protecting your new boss's... assets.
6. Running the Experiment - Finally, all the preparations are complete for your latest stroke of genius. All the equipment is set up, you've acquired the necessary specimens (some of whom, perhaps, are sapient and aware enough of their surroundings to be terrified), and it's time to begin gathering data. Hopefully, your experiment design is up to the task.
7. Sharing Your Findings - This was a triumph (you're making a note here: huge success) and it's hard to overstate your satisfaction. This is something you can't just keep to yourself - it deserves to be shared with someone, whether it's a close associate who understands your work, a conference of
8. Experiment Gone Awry - Not every experiment goes according to design; sometimes, your initial assumptions are mistaken, or there's a slight error in your calculations, or your experimental subject lurches off into the night to terrorize the villagers the very moment you turn your back... And sometimes, those failures are exciting, but in your line of work, more often they are outright terrifying, at least for everyone who isn't you.
9. Torches and Pitchforks - Maybe one too many of your experiments has lurched off into the night to terrorize the villagers. Maybe the villagers have just found out about the real nature of your experiments, and are callously slinging around terms like "blasphemous," "evil," "unethical," and "evidence of a complete disregard for fundamental human rights" without even attempting to understand your vision. Either way, it's clear that this time, they mean to do more than picket your laboratory.
10. Other - Experiment design is what science is all about, especially mad science. If the above scenarios don't suit your fancy, create your own, and don't forget to record your results for posterity.
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