From—“Behavioral Modification on Post-Plague Earth,” by Shigeru Ruiz. Pages 47-64, in Modern Perspectives on the Psyche and the Mind, Viljo Tabayoyon, ed. University Press, A.C. 816.
. . . With regard to ogres as hypnoconditoned warriors, Songtsan Gampo seems to have seen more potentials and fewer limitations than were actually there, at least given the state of the art.
First, he had hypnoconditioned his ogres as if they were simply hairy people. That was not the case. If you condition a man to absolute loyalty, he will often be loyal regardless of risk to life. This is because the true psyche is innately a game-playing unit, and many will stay with the game despite extreme danger. On the other hand, an intelligence based on the psychome—that is, one without a true psyche—will rarely do so, with the exception of the long-domesticated Canis familiaris, the domestic dog. The Yunnan ogre operates on the basic imperative SURVIVE! It will fight ferociously, to a point—to the death if cornered—but when death appears imminent, and if there is an avenue of flight, it will flee. Otherwise it stands to the death only to protect its cubs, and not often then. Among animals ruled by the psychome, death in defense of young seems to be more a matter of miscalculation than intentional self sacrifice.
Also, while many humans will panic in the face of a bizarre and unfamiliar danger, many will not panic if they are well trained and disciplined. Even well-trained and disciplined ogres will panic and try to flee, in the face of a sufficient threat . . .