The obliteration of the species was accomplished in the
   following manner:

    1. All communication was cut off, leaving the people alone with
       their thoughts.* The majority of the population killed
       themselves off, being unable to entertain themselves on
       their own.
    2. Their voices were silenced by artificially creating an
       outbreak of laryngitis.
    3. Their physical sensations were cut off soon afterwards.*
       This involved setting the temperature to a comfortable
       setting, which felt neither hot nor cold.* This also meant
       removing their vision and hearing using medication which
       affected the brain's receptors to these senses, deposited
       into the water supply.* The nerves were also deadened by a
       gas in the air supply, leaving them without the ability to
       physically feel anything.* This enhanced the aloneness, as
       they could no longer communicate with their external senses.

   With these three simple steps, it was possible for the species
   to obliterate themselves, for the majority of people cannot live
   without the touch (through communication, physical, emotional or
   mental) of another.* Even more people cannot live without
   communicating with their limbs and their five senses. Stuck
   alone in their own brains, with no relief from their internal
   sorrow, not knowing if they are touching anything, seeing
   anything, hearing anything, smelling anything or tasting
   anything, the strain is unbearable. This was easy for, as we
   have learned, the human race, with only a small percentage of
   exceptions, has never learned the art of internal dialogue.
   _*The Art of Internal Dialogue*_ What is the art of internal
   dialogue?* Monks for thousands of years have been working on
   this dilemma, as have psychologists for only the past few
   decades.* There are some answers to this question, some
   practical solutions to the problem of a troubled internal
   dialogue, but they are mostly buried in old religious texts
   designed for the monastics of a particular religion. (for some
   of the techniques will render a person crazy if not followed
   properly, with proper instruction).   [random story written on a
   battery powered electronic typewriter I brought with me to the
   library, Sept 30, 2002 at 1:52pm)