THE TRANSHUMANIST SCRAPBOOK: THE COMING DEBATE ON GMO BABIES: HERE ...
There's a move afoot, folks, to open a debate on the acceptability of genetically modified human babies... yes, you read that correctly. But before we get to that, a little refresher. When Dr. de Hart and I were researching and writing Transhumanism: A Grimoire of Alchemical Agendas, one of the things we discovered were technologies whereby the mitochondrial DNA of one parent could be removed and replaced with that of another, in the genetic modification of mice, which is effectively saying that mice could be born that had two mothers and one father, or, three parents.
Now the technology has been applied to humans, and the FDA is sponsoring a two day debate:
Two days to settle an issue that, as the article points out, has already led to humans being born with (unspecified) defects, which in turn could be passed down generationally?
But wait...there's another implication here, a very dark and sinister one, lurking in the shadows.
When we wrote Transhumanism, we pointed out that the whole field of genetically modified raised the specter of the application of patent law to human beings. The reasoning was simply that, in the legal standards that apply in US patent law, standards similar to patent law in the UK, France or other western countries, that something was patentable if it could only arise with the intervention of the "hand of man" and via a recipe or normalized procedure and technology that would allow a process to be replicated by anyone following the recipe. We suggested that modifications like mice with three parents was such a procedure, and hence that such life forms could be patentable... they could literally be some corporation's property.
With this article, we are a step closer to that gruesome reality. And let's take a page from the Mon(ster)santo - US Supremes playbook (that's the Supreme Court with its Injustices, for those of you unaccustomed to my nicknames). Suppose such a corporation were successful in applying patent law to humans, and suppose that it then took the offspring of such a GMO baby to court for "non-payment of royalties and license fees on the replication of a gene (one with two mothers, one mother for the Mitochondrial DNA, and another for the other DNA itself), which could only be produced using 'the process'..." Well, you get the picture. "We're sorry, your baby is an unauthorized reproduction of a corporate gene, and must be turned over to the corporation for appropriate processing."
The trouble is, folks, that the precedents have already been read into law by egregiously bad decisions by the Injustices of the Supremes and other bought and paid for "courts". And if you don't think corporations would have no scruples about getting their greedy mitts into human nature itself, think again, because they also want to tax sunlight, forbid you to collect rainwater, and a host of other hypocrisies that would make even a liberal hypocrite like Al Gore blush.
See you on the flip side.
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The scientific rationale for mitochondrial DNA implantation rejects (as they describe) the sensationalist comments of ‘3 parent babies’ because mitochondrial DNA carry no genetic material for anything other than the the processing of energy, ie, no human traits, genetic material for eye colour, personality etc.
There are huge issues at stake here as Joseph described. If one is unlucky enough to carry defective mitochondrial genes, why not undertake the plethora of methods for more safely creating life, or indeed adopt a needy child, rather than risking a potential vast amount of unknown complications via complex new biotech which is already superimposed on the health compromised child.
It is also ludicrous and typical of scientists to suggest that mitochondria as ‘simple’
in terms of DNA, that they fully understand the function of these critical cellular engines. We have barely scratched the surface in understanding the totality of our physiology, it is typical of reductionist mechanistic thinking that by looking at a part, the whole can be fixed.
Raim, it is very ancient technology
There is something very wrong with a society that wants to do these things. Letting some court room bozo decide on something that goes against ALL ethical human rights is unthinkable.
The world needs to change, a cultural one, and it has to start a investigation on what really matters. I’m no genius but I know a wrong doing when I see one, and this road that the crazy’s are taking is extremely troublesome.
I say again, this world is in a monstrous mess, but if we knew our true hidden history, it would be a different place altogether.
Brave New World or 600 years After Ford or how about Zardos and yes THX 1138. Calling Doctor Victor Frankenstein. Anyway Western society has a long history of slavery going back to the Greco-Romans noting a third of the population were official slaves and those with little or no money slaves in everything but name. This is only the latest means to re legalize that institution.
I can here it now, over PBX systems, echoing all throughout the lobbyists’ hallways of power.
“Calling Doctor Victor Frankenstein.
Calling Doctor Victor Frankenstein.”
Loved it!
Marcos, the east still practices open slavery and severe human rights abuses.
in the west we are under the illusion of freedom.
Yes jedi, in fact, there are even more slaves in the world of today than in any other time in history.
[And that’s not even counting the ones who “think” they are free.]
Each new baby gets an extra dose of special mitochondrial DNA? Oy vey! I think I would get into the gefilte fish business. I would expect demand to go through the roof when these babies come of age. I couldn’t think of a more apocalyptic future scenario than the whole world becomes a giant Brooklyn. It would be the most annoying planet in the galaxy and possibly the universe. Then of course, those off-planet geneticists who seeded a portion of humanity a while back with this special mitochondrial DNA will return and now claim ownership of all special DNA carriers. Maybe Steven Speilberg’s recent Lincoln movie and its emphasis on the emancipation proclamation was actually not intended to be propaganda to stir up racial unrest, but instead a rallying cry against portended future enslavement?
I think about all those Indigo Children we heard so much about a while back and how they were supposed to come and save humanity when they grew up. What a flop they turned out to be. I know a woman who always claimed her son was an indigo child. Now he is grown up, lives in her basement, and is addicted to video games and energy drinks. I even heard the brains behind the dollar store blight was born an indigo child. What a curse on humanity he turned out to be. I suspect these genetically modified babies will windup being like Woody Allen on steroids. The human container, for the most part, is just not equipped for this special mitochondrial DNA. It makes the carrier insane.
logically the ideal place for the kid is in there moms basement playing video games….a simple deduction on how screwed up and too far gone this world is…..
, ..with intelligence would also come high levels of empathy….ie emotional disturbances….which could be interpreted as insane….ie the dark side of the force.
The weasels already taxed light back in the day in Ireland….the size of windows.
Genetically modified humans…stepford wives, bourne identity…and perhaps a frankenstien to level the field….again
THX 1138