Comment Mixed feelings on cloning (Score 1) 405
I have mixed feelings about this whole subject. On the one hand, I don't like seeing species dying out due to human actions... ecological accidents (oil spills, etc), greed (whale hunting, over-fishing, wholesale deforestation, etc), or what have you, and I think that cloning has a chance of at least repairing some of the damage that we cause, intentionally or through ignorance.
On the other hand, this whole cloning business, for some reason, makes me wary that this is just another mechanism for humans to avoid taking the responsibility for their actions. I think that (in America at least... can't speak for other countries), we already are impressing upon our children that it's OK to foul up almost anything and continue on as if almost nothing had happened. Shoot someone... well, you'll get out in 3-5 (unless you're rich, in which case you'll be home by dinner). Screw up your life on drugs... well, just go into rehab (and/or onto the cover of Time). Watch too much TV and forget how to think... well, everyone else is doing it too (Must-See TV my ass!). Destroy a bunch of birds or elephants or what have you... well, just clone up a new batch (and be their custodian, no doubt!)
I think that humans have a tendency to over-control their environment as it is, for the sake of aesthetics, or profit, or just plain stupidity. Sure, I enjoy the conveniences and gizmos of modern life, and a certain amount of reality-manipulation is necessary in order to bring these about. Likewise, I can think of several uses for cloning (replacing destroyed limbs, engineering less-perishable/healthier food, blah blah blah), so I don't have a problem with cloning per se. However, cloning exerts the ultimate control over life itself, and can compensate for, nay, negate reckless behavior, simply by re-creating what existed and was destroyed. Reckless behavior shouldn't be coddled, and I think that cloning can be another mechanism to do just that.
If you want to approach this from an ethical slant, how are future generations supposed to understand what is "right" and "wrong" if there are no lasting consequences of their actions? I mean, (and I hope it NEVER gets this bad) I can envision a time when, cloning being employed fully, a man is murdered by another man, and the murdered man is simply re-cloned into existence. There is no indelible mark on history, no permanence to an action... just hit "Undo" a few times, and it's all better, Johnny. Substitute "species" for "man", and I think where I'm going is apparent. Further (and this is going WAAY out on a limb), suppose that there is some sort of karmic balance to the universe. Is cloning now a tool with which undermine that? Are we, in effect, actually BECOMING the gods that we worship, or disdain, or deny?
Obviously, I have no idea where we are going with cloning, but I think that before we rush off and do something because we can, we might want to take the time to consider whether we should (thanks, Michael Crichton! :^))
Just random musings, don't mind me..
Thanks for your time,
NULLphoenix
On the other hand, this whole cloning business, for some reason, makes me wary that this is just another mechanism for humans to avoid taking the responsibility for their actions. I think that (in America at least... can't speak for other countries), we already are impressing upon our children that it's OK to foul up almost anything and continue on as if almost nothing had happened. Shoot someone... well, you'll get out in 3-5 (unless you're rich, in which case you'll be home by dinner). Screw up your life on drugs... well, just go into rehab (and/or onto the cover of Time). Watch too much TV and forget how to think... well, everyone else is doing it too (Must-See TV my ass!). Destroy a bunch of birds or elephants or what have you... well, just clone up a new batch (and be their custodian, no doubt!)
I think that humans have a tendency to over-control their environment as it is, for the sake of aesthetics, or profit, or just plain stupidity. Sure, I enjoy the conveniences and gizmos of modern life, and a certain amount of reality-manipulation is necessary in order to bring these about. Likewise, I can think of several uses for cloning (replacing destroyed limbs, engineering less-perishable/healthier food, blah blah blah), so I don't have a problem with cloning per se. However, cloning exerts the ultimate control over life itself, and can compensate for, nay, negate reckless behavior, simply by re-creating what existed and was destroyed. Reckless behavior shouldn't be coddled, and I think that cloning can be another mechanism to do just that.
If you want to approach this from an ethical slant, how are future generations supposed to understand what is "right" and "wrong" if there are no lasting consequences of their actions? I mean, (and I hope it NEVER gets this bad) I can envision a time when, cloning being employed fully, a man is murdered by another man, and the murdered man is simply re-cloned into existence. There is no indelible mark on history, no permanence to an action... just hit "Undo" a few times, and it's all better, Johnny. Substitute "species" for "man", and I think where I'm going is apparent. Further (and this is going WAAY out on a limb), suppose that there is some sort of karmic balance to the universe. Is cloning now a tool with which undermine that? Are we, in effect, actually BECOMING the gods that we worship, or disdain, or deny?
Obviously, I have no idea where we are going with cloning, but I think that before we rush off and do something because we can, we might want to take the time to consider whether we should (thanks, Michael Crichton!
Just random musings, don't mind me..
Thanks for your time,
NULLphoenix
