What kind of controller would you be?

[NateSean]

Since we never see a Makk or a SStram, I'm assuming they were one of the races that simply got trashed by the Yeerks for whatever reason. We know there are species they couldn't physically infest, so they simply took their technology and killed them. So when Temrash says they were conquered, it doesn't nessecarily mean that they were infested.

That said, if I could take any host in the Empire, it would most likely be either a human or a Hork-Bajir.

I don't think the Yeerk Empire would allow a Leeran-Controller to live for very long with the risk of what they could know and Taxxons have a lifespan as long as their ability to avoid getting a papercut. So for my money, a human body can be maintained and adapted and a Hork-Bajir body is a walking weapon fueled by bark. Easy A's.

[Dameg]

If I was Human who become a Controller (what I am): I would act differently depending on the Yeerk and how we'd be introduced Being annoying is one of my best quality (OK, it isn't really a quality ^^') so of course I'd use it, turning him mad (like me) or I'd try to be friend with him and help him to be more powerful in the Empire. Of course, make him love the Earth and appreciated the species who live on it would be one of my goals. (Main goal: making hima Visser who loves Earth and wants to change the way of the war! )

If I was a Yeerk who take a host (what I am): it depends on the planet where I work... Human on Earth. Being a Hork-Bajir on Earth isn't the best: you are a soldier, you can't go outside and actually see the planet. Leeran on Leera. Because they're cool (and cute when drawn by me ), can read minds, and of course they can swim! On a planet covered with water, it's pretty useful. Of course, if we could have sharks as host, it'd be cool too ^^ Hork-Bajir elsewhere. Because they have a perfect body! Who wouldn't like a body like theirs?!

[Magdaleen]

I think I'd fight hopelessly at first, then I'd give up and hope that my Yeerk won't torture me by eating vegetables and other disgusting things.

[Blazing Angel]

If my yeerk doesnt join the peace movement then I annoy the slug juice out of him with 1000 bottles of beer on the wall. That's right 1000.

[Terenia]

Clearly there would be an initial period of fear and struggle. I think that would happen regardless of being a voluntary or involuntary host. The sensation of losing all control would freak me out at first, but once I got use to it I would probably try to befriend the Yeerk. I figure if we're stuck together it's a good idea to make the best of a bad situation. Annoying it wouldn't work that well, because the Yeerk could annoy you equally or worse by replaying particularly unfortunate memories over and over.

[Morilore]

Scream and struggle, cry and plead, try to deceive myself, develop learned helplessness, develop Stockholm's Syndrome, develop post-traumatic stress disorder, spend the rest of my life a dysfunctional mess if I'm freed.

For most people there is probably no other realistic outcome.

[Chad32]

You know, I could see stockholm syndrome being a real problem with hosts. I wonder if KA was aware of it, because I'm not sure if she ever adressed it.

[Terenia]

Scream and struggle, cry and plead, try to deceive myself, develop learned helplessness, develop Stockholm's Syndrome, develop post-traumatic stress disorder, spend the rest of my life a dysfunctional mess if I'm freed.

For most people there is probably no other realistic outcome.

I see this as incredibly probably for many people, but given the adaptability of humans and the sheer range of personalities that both humans and Yeerks possess I do not think it would be as widespread of a reaction as you might think. I honestly think that the majority of hosts will develop at the very least a cordial relationship with their Yeerks. Most Yeerks are not Visser Three - they don't want to expend energy torturing their host, because they have to live in that head too. Human adaptability will allow for a shift in psychology where captivity becomes the norm.

But yeah, I can totally see an outbreak of Stockholm's among many hosts. I think a lot of it depends on the nature of the Yeerk and the nature of the host.

I regrettably admit that I will sell out the human race and be a content voluntary controller, assuming that the Yeerk in my head is not a complete psychopath.

[Aquilai]

If I were a host to a Yeerk I'd probably try to reason with them mostly appeal to them through decency. Mostly though it'd depend, as many people have said, on the type of Yeerk it is. Assume the Yeerk controlling you will have all your memories then presumably they can also empathise. One of my favourite quotes: "Every problem is an opportunity in disguise". The benefits of having someone in your head: 2 heads are better than one. You have company who completely understands you. Sure you can and will feel judged (everyone has regrets) but if you're honest with yourself and you are happy with who you are now then the worst memories that they can draw upon to hurt you won't work as much as they'd hope.

If I was a Yeerk then I think I'd be very open to new ideas, new ways of thinking and reasoning. I honestly know I can't help but be judgemental but that doesn't mean I'd be self righteous. I'd try to respect their opinions but I can definitely imagine not wanting to be in the mind of certain people and I would definitely ask for a different host if I felt barraged by such hatred and disgust either for the person or their bad luck at being an unwilling host. I think there's always something to be valued in people even if it's not something practical or highly valued by others.

[Morilore]

In the context of an Empire in which Yeerks are trained to regard host species as nothing more than meat ("oink oink"), I think most Yeerks would prefer their hosts more or less catatonic and thus unable to pester them, which suggest initial cruel abuse followed by complete neglect when the hosts realize there is nothing they can do.

I mean, even humans will perpetrate astonishing cruelty on other humans for no other reason than a guy in a white coat telling them to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment.  I think it's likely that a brutal dictatorial empire of creatures evolved to dominate other minds will mostly consist of creatures who feel no compunction against abusing their victims, with individuals like Aftran and Illim being rare exceptions, just as humans who rebel against the white labcoat are rare exceptions.

Human adaptability will allow for a shift in psychology where captivity becomes the norm.

That's like the precise definition of learned helplessness.

Assume the Yeerk controlling you will have all your memories then presumably they can also empathise.

In Visser, we learn that sympathizing with a host species is a capital crime in the Yeerk empire.

[Aquilai]

Ah I haven't (re)read Visser recently but thanks for the reminder. In a way I can understand why it would be a capital crime but I think I'll reread it anyway. It sounds similar to Seerow's kindness if you pity your host it can potentially lead to your trying to help them and being tricked into betraying your species. I still think that when a Yeerk takes a host something of a host inevitably stays and changes the way the Yeerk thinks even if a little. I'm not disputing that their patriotism might be stronger but if you suddenly become faced with the entire life of another being you cannot help but compare your own decisions against their own morals. It's not as simple as peer pressure or say a Nazi commander just ordering the deaths of a thousand victims you have to live with your victim 24/7.  I think only the very selfish/arrogant so determined to almost fanaticism would not feel anything for the host.

Something else that may affect a Yeerk's view on their host would be the number of hosts they've had. If the Yeerk higher ups were smart then they would continue to swap hosts and Yeerks around. The more you trade hosts around the more the hosts become like cattle as Morilore would imply. A first time Yeerk taking a host would be overwhelmed and will feel more for their hosts. The first host I'm sure will always be the most significant and personal to a Yeerk. If the Yeerks had a new host even weekly then the values of their host would be lost and forgotten quickly.

@Morilore, there was a French tv show where the contestants would be told to interrogate people to the point of torture. I forgot about the origin of the tv show till you brought up the Miligram experiment. The victim was secretly an actor so no one was really harmed but it showed that 64 of the 80 interrogators were willing to keep torturing their victim. This shows that only 1/5 people would have the strength or guilt to oppose "the white coat" authority figure which is kind of worrying considering they know that they are on tv (further exacerbating my disgust for reality shows). Whether the fact it was on tv so they knew/guessed no one was really hurt or whether they would be that sadistic is anyone's guess. You can imagine how willing to inflict suffering people could be if they weren't on record and knew they would be judged.

What runs through someone's mind when they're torturing someone? If you imagine an ordinary Joe going to work as an interrogator/torturer then they can go home at the end of the day to their family, their own life away from what innocent people would consider horrors. You wouldn't expect them to gladly talk about their day about work. They'd build their own wall segregating what they do for a living to numb themselves. For a Yeerk you are constantly reminded by having the host's voice in your head, where they live and their whole life is a reminder that it's not temporary or just a job. It's not as easy to build up a wall when all you see are the faces and pictures of the victim's family plastered across it's foundations.

To further the point of how a Yeerk could live with itself without being affected by it's host in any way at all, perhaps they would draw a higher line between what is perceivably cattle than humans would.  Sentience and reasoning may not be enough if you see yourself quite arrogantly as mentally superior. You may not even consider inhabiting someone's body torture but you are stuck with them so you would reason that you'd try to get along as opposed to deliberately and without provocation mentally (or physically) torture them. Based on the views of a human I'm not sure groups like Aftran and Illim are as rare an exception as they might seem.

[Terenia]

I apologize in advance for not quoting relevant portions of previous posts, but I am on my phone and cannot.

Yes, learned helplessness is exactly what would happen. But humans, being humans, would much prefer that over a state of constant discomfort and if there truly is no chance of being free ever again, well then that's making the best of a bad situation.

As for Yeerk sympathy, I think it is much more prevalent than the Yeerks would like outsiders to believe. That is why movements like the Peace Movement were able to come into existence. However, I do not think that Yeerks sympathize with humans as equals (at least not most of them), but rather in the manner that a human would sympathize with a dog.

[Myitt]

I regrettably admit that I will sell out the human race and be a content voluntary controller, assuming that the Yeerk in my head is not a complete psychopath.

Yeah, as much as I'd probably be terrified and angry at first, I'd probably end up going along with my fate and try to work with the Yeerk.  Although I've gotta say, watching myself turn in the people I love to a fate that I'm sure they wouldn't enjoy one bit?  That would suck big time.

[Blazing Angel]

Im sure most people would say that they would be involuntary but some would be voluntary. The whole part of something bigger along with some intimidation would put alot of people in. So, song that never ends, 1000 bottles of beer on the wall (extra 0 is NOT a typo), and constantly thinking about polka music.

[Aldrea2011]

I'd be as annoying as I could. I'd probably start singing (badly, on purpose to be more annoying) something like, "...all you are is MEAN!!" XD

Of course, I'd rather be the yeerk I think, but oh well.