if there's a short cut, it could help millions of people and positively influence civilization. That would be ^cool^
That's what I was thinking/wishfully hoping. Every time I've been on a Buddhist retreat, I've been amazing by HOW LOVELY AND INTERESTING EVERYONE IS (they're a bit like Hubski in that way).
So if there was a gadget that made everyone kind and thoughtful - wouldn't that be a good thing? Then again, it's hard to know what's cause and what's effect. I mean, it could be that retreats attract people who are kind and thoughtful, rather than meditation making them that way. Like goo says, these people have chosen to go on a personal journey, and are working hard at it.
In which case, there aren't really any short cuts: a device isn't really going to change a person if the original desire to change isn't there. I'm surprised by how little I'm bothered by the idea of brain manipulation, though?!