Consciousness is the last part of the human mind that has developed because of the development of the brain, the pre-frontal cortex. It's a part of the brain that allows us to pay attention, not just to what's happening around us, but to what's happening in the rest of the brain. This means we are, suddenly, in another dimension compared to other life forms. We are not just in a physical environment, we are in a mental environment which tells us to do one thing or the other, to feel good or bad, happy or unhappy. This is a very great advance in the species, but it also can lead into trouble because we can think of all kinds of crazy things to do. Controlling consciousness is like controlling life. It's the only way we can make sure the brain is going to do something that's useful and good for us.