NPCs are not soulless automatons

NPCs are egregore-controlled humans, they still have an independent mind but their mind is enslaved and used as a tool for expressing the egregore mind, like a two-way radio channel.
see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egregore
Its possible to disrupt the link to egregore by subversive thought insertion(aka memes), allowing the original mind to assert its will and independent thought. The egregore can't focus on multiple mental challenges simultaneously and the "radio channel" has limited capacity.
NPCs can be reformed to PCs.

>>61
Its actually the cultural evolution of "brainlet" meme used to ridicule the dumb, except now its cutting to the core, asking "Do you even think?".
Its moderately effective on PCs too, since many have ingrained social programming and cultural osmosis. Below the surface of their belief system are tons of "NPC" reactive-thinking patterns. PCs don't live in isolation from NPC-culture.