I seem to gravitate towards books on cloning- there's something about it that appeals to me I guess. Lately especially I've been thinking- what are our views on cloning? As a society and as book readers? Are we okay with it under some circumstances- or should it be outlawed altogether? The old saying goes that just because we can do something, doesn't mean we should. So... cloning yea or nay?
I love reading about cloning and all the ethical dilemmas it presents. Below I'll list a few books that have captivated me lately, but one in particular inspired this post. Golden City is a graphic novel from Europe and one of the plot points is cloning as a means of organ harvesting. The protagonists' mother commissioned a secret lab where clones of her son would be raised, to be used for harvesting if her son ever became ill. She later changed her mind but an unscrupulous scientist continued the program, instead of aborting the cloned baby as ordered.
If that sounds pretty monstrous, well, it is. The question I have though is- would any of us do that under certain conditions? Would we clone our children in order to maybe save their life later? Would that be murdering the clone to do so? Seems pretty cut and dried- the answer I think is yes- but I can totally see this happening. Are there any cases where you'd consider it? Does it matter if the clone is aware as opposed to just being basically a body bank?
And what if you didn't have to kill it? What if you just want another version of Emma or Johnny? Or a back- up body for yourself? Even more out there- let's say you can transfer consciousness someday to a new body. This one wears out, but you have clones on back-up. If you could be essentially long- lived or immortal through cloning, would you?
Okay discuss away. Meanwhile here are some recent books with cloning that have piqued my interests.
Really interesting topic. I've never read any books about cloning, but I was quite fascinated with Orphan Black, and What Happened to Monday. Something about it is both intriguing, yet scary, yet 'what if?" To see it on television, or to read about it is one thing, yet actually seeing it happen with a family member or friend or up close makes it seem more real. Another great post! Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteThanks Ro! I think it's fascinating too- and you're right, to read or watch about it is one thing, but to actually SEE a clone version up close and personal- that would be freaky!! And ooh what Happened to Mondy- I saw that one also!
DeleteI'm fascinated by cloning, too. From what I've read about the current scientific understanding of it, most clones die very early on in their development at the moment. I do wonder if we'll ever be able to create clones that have the same survival rates as traditionally-created embryos?!
ReplyDeleteIn the meaning, reading stories about clones is a great way to pass the time. :)
True! and I also wonder. Like I'm glad we're not there yet because honestly, I don't think we're ready for the ethical challenges yet.
DeleteGreg, don't you know that your clone will kill you and take your place?? LOL
ReplyDeleteAck no! Me vs me- to the death!! :):)
DeleteI haven't read more than a couple of cloning books like Never Let Me Go. It was really sad and made me wary of the very idea of cloning. I have a couple of cloning SF ones to read.
ReplyDeleteI do love the topic
DeleteI really love the cloning trope in Scifi. It's sooooo interesting. I have plenty of cloning in my Hikoboshi Series.
ReplyDeleteDo you- that's good to know! I love cloning in SF!
DeleteThe closest I've come to reading a book about cloning would probably be considered a technicality to cloning. The book is called Skinned By Robin Wasserman. I read it over a decade ago so don't quote me on this but I believe it starts off with an accident with main character and science has evolved enough to clone the human brain and transfer all that information into a humanoid robot body and things spiral from there. Overall I'm not crazy about the idea of cloning either in fiction or as a reality. Unless it's a way to cure horrendous diseases that have no cure as of right now it isn't on my radar :)
ReplyDeleteThat sounds interesting actually, and that's where I think cloning could get really tricky! Having back- up bodies or using robots like you mention to transfer consciousness- I'm so fascinated w/ that because it kinda dovetails with what does it mean to be human?
DeleteI could go either way about cloning in books/movies. As long as the characters/story is compelling or has an interesting twist I'm all in but in real life - no.
ReplyDeleteKaren @ For What It's Worth
Yeah I think a lot of people feel the same way.
DeleteI stand by original comment lol
DeleteI'm against cloning in real life, but I do love to read about it in books.
ReplyDeleteSame here! I could be for cloning MAYBE in some cases- but the ethical landmines are daunting!
DeleteHmm. Interesting question! It kind of freaks me out!! Have you read Never Let Me Go? It was really really good.
ReplyDeleteI think there are too many ethical dilemmas with cloning, so I don't support it in real life. But I did read a book once that tackled the topic really well because the MC was a clone. I believe it was called Machinations. I just can't see a clone as being the same person though, even if consciousness was transferred.
ReplyDeletecloning stories interest me too. I think its the moral questions that come with it. I don't think I could stomach creating life just for purposes of harvesting organs... even if it was to save my childs life. I would still feel this clone was my child too. i definitely couldn't kill it. i need to read many of these on your list.
ReplyDeleteWell, the organ donor thing will be passe soon because they are going to be able to 3D-print some body parts, and grow others without cloning an entire body. The cloning for our own use for memory transfer is interesting to me, though, but how would the clone react to the integration. I mean, it would have grown up with memories and an identity of its own. 🔬
ReplyDeleteI'm all for cloning animals that were made extinct by man. I am still hoping they will clone a wooly mammoth before I die. 👍✨
Love this, SO thought provoking! So I mean, no, I don't think we should ever clone people. But I also think it's probably inevitable. Because as humans, we can't seem to stop ourselves from fucking shit up. And I mean, look what happened to Dolly the Sheep? And she was a SHEEP for goodness sake. My point is, the universe is telling us no but... we do not listen hah.
ReplyDeleteSuch interesting topic. I don't know if you ever watched Stargate sg-1 but there was a species there that stopped reproducing and continued living through uploading themselves into clones. Over centuries their body turned from us to the grey aliens we imagine and gave them a lot of physical malfunctions because the cloning process had been overused for so long. Essentially they were cloning clones.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fascinating topic. I haven't read any books about clones yet and in films I'm ok with it, but in real life not so much. Golden City sounds creepy. Have you watched the movie Splice?
ReplyDelete