Hi!
It’s been a (really long) while!
Anyway, I got to thinking lately, if I could ever do it succesfiully( yes, after all these years I never go spot on), would it be wrong to use a shared dream to get someone to quit smoking, drugs, etc. without telling them?
Post split from the BIG LD FAQ. Appended “(Using SDs to stop others addictions)” to the title for clarity. 
I think no, provided that you use legitimate methods (No extortions, for instance)
In dreams you could show people things in a different way; You can show them things which can only be produced IRL using time consuming ways such as drawing. Just like you can talk to someone IRL and use any sensual stimulation to your aid, you can do so in a dream.
One thing to note, tough: There are no “good” and “bad” causes, unless, of course, the person in question WANTS to quit their habit.
i think that you should because they should stop but porbably wont listen to you IRL. in a dream you are in control so you can make them listen to reason. hopefully he/she will listen.
Basically, it would be imposing your own will on someone in a sneaky and underhanded way. It is similar to brainwashing someone into voting for the “right” presidential canditate. Since people have differing views on what is “right” and what is “better” it is really only your own will, that you are manipulating your friend into following. The question is, do you think THAT is wrong?
I would have to say that yes, it would be wrong. It is their choice whether or not they want to smoke (or whatever it is) or not, and in the end even if you did succeed in using their dreams to stop them from doing it you’d have only succeeded in taking from them their free will on the matter. Whatever the case, all you can really do is tell them your thoughts on the matter and hope that they listen.
Krakatoa brings up an extremely excellent point. I certainly sympathize with you and I definitely think that you have the right intentions when you ask that question… but the bottom line of the matter is, where does your manipulation end? Free will is one of mankind’s greatest gifts, and to take that away (even for the best of intentions)… well, it would be equivalent to taking away a person’s individuality, which I think is an incredibly terrible crime. MAYBE using shared dreams would be ok, so long as you stuck to showing them better lifestyles… but in the end, I think that it would be too easy for your good intentions to drive you to unethical manipulation. There are better ways to help a friend in that sort of situation.
As for shared dreaming… well, I cannot tell you whether or not it is real and be 100% sure. There are accounts I’ve read that seem to support its existence, but I refuse to say definitively whether or not it’s possible until I either see some concrete results or I experience it myself. That being said… I certainly believe in the possibility, and I definitely won’t let discouragement get in the way of my trying to induce one. To me, shared dreaming seems like waaaay too cool of a concept to just ignore. 
[mod]Some posts have been split off to different topics. 7 went to “Shared dreams?” in quest. Another 3 went to “I made contact” In beyond dreaming. The other 2 now form a new topic in the Beyond Dreaming forum, “DCs and LD4all members” Please stay on topic here. 
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