Not such a distant future.
A team of scientists led by Y. XXXXXX developed a technology to apply sound conditioning treatment to humans. The sound conditioning effect was discovered and described in the early 21st Century. It involves exposing to a long term low-pitch sound and results in an acquired immunity to hearing loss caused by acoustic trauma. XXXXXX’s technology for conditioning human hearing proved safe and effective.
At first, the treatment was used exclusively by certain professionals, whose working environment involved a risk of hearing loss. Perceived as a precautionary measure and prescribed to anyone who asked for it, after some time it started to slip out of control. Bookings for conditioning sessions largely exceeded all initial estimates...
In an official investigation it was discovered that those, who had been conditioned and later exposed to acoustic trauma, found great pleasure and excitement in loosing their hearing for a moment. Many of them compared it to an orgasm during bungee-jumping. Further research into psycho-physical effects of acoustic trauma showed that it gives a unique holistic experience. On the physiological level it was a result of combined effects of an increase in adrenaline level and a decrease in calbindin D-28 kDa immunoreactivity.
After the prohibition of sound conditioning, illegal treatment facilities had been set up. Not surprisinlgy, induced hearing trauma quickly became a popular kick in the clubbing world. It was made a climax point of every rave party and became known as “blasting”. There was no efficient way of enforcing the prohibition of conditioning and blasting—perpetrators were always found clean, as “blasting” left no clear evidence.
Very soon first cases of factual hearing loss due to illegal and unreliable conditioning were reported.
And this is when my story begins...
