Poll: Would you use Genetic Manipulation as a Body Modification?

[Spiny Norman]

If its purely just for appearance then no, I'd rather not stand out like that. I'd want it to at least have some kind of practical use first.

practical uses:
ears would increase hearing, eyes would have low-light vision, fangs would help eating, fur would keep you warm, you could increase your metabolism, strengthen your bones, tendons, joints, muscles, etc. why not add webbed hands and gills and become an Olympic swimmer? although that might be cheating. can anyone else think of any cosmetics that have practical uses?

He did say that if it was purely for appearance than no. All the things you listed were cosmetic as well as mechanical changes to the body. Changing eye color is purely cosmetic but getting a human version of cat eyes is cosmetic but also provides actual measurable changes to the body's capabilities. Also fangs don't really help eating for omnivores. They help rip and tear meat better but you sacrifice the grinding action of molars for eating plants. I guess you could try to combine both herbivore and carnivore teeth but that is pretty much what omnivores have anyway.

 

[Aerosteam]

Beast eyes? Furry features? Why would I want that? I understand people have an interest in Neko (Cat ears stuck on humans) but I don't think it would be very practical.

As in body modifications, I'd make myself look the way I want to look and still look human.
Change the shape of my nose (bloody nostrils are to big)
Enhance my vision (my eyesight is getting worse by the minute)
Lighten my skin a little bit (not than I hate the skin colour I have, I just prefer a lighter tone)
Straighten my teeth more (so I don't have to wear these God damn braces)
Slow down the speed of hair growth (I shave about 3 times a week, it's as boring as Desert Bus)

But if I were to choose a single body modification, it would be to change my voice to a woman's or have the ability to do multiple voices eg. strong accents.

 

[forsaac]

Wow lots of trans humanisim lately but yeah Id say if i could use it for anything it would be some thing subtle like a better sense of smell or a better sense of hearing.

Don't get me wrong the other stuff looks cool but its not for me.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Hell yes, I got crappy long ranged vision, would mod the hell out of it to get better. Maybe throw in infra red as a toggle?

Its different to cosmetic enhancements like changing your eye colour, I like my blue/grey colour the way it is.

There is one thing I'm wrong about though. Genetic manipulation is WORSE than plastic surgery, as plastic surgery stops with you. It doesn't affect the gene pool. I forgot about that...

Not so much. D.N.A determines your genes, so unless you modify your D.N.A your kids will come out looking like you before you got the third eye and pointy ears installed.

 

[Spiny Norman]

If it is assumed that changing one's appearance and body in general on a genetic level is as easy and safe as changing clothes, than I would certainly go ahead with it. I probably wouldn't do anything drastic to start, maybe just eye color and hair in addition to the general long life, resistance to disease, better stamina, etc. However, who knows one day I might feel like having purple skin and walking on all fours but I think it would depend on the mood much like choice of fashion.

 

[aashell13]

I don't think using genetic manipulation for cosmetic effect would be a good idea. Sure, elf ears and cat eyes are in right now, but are you absolutely sure your great-grandkids are on board with the idea?

Better to let nature take its course with that stuff.

If you're going to be fixing genetic disorders though, I guess that's fine.

 

[babinro]

Not for cosmetic or aesthetic purposes since I prefer the body as natural as possible.

I would absolutely embrace it if such genetic manipulation addressed constant issues like headaches, knee pain, and back pain.

 

[Aircross]

Body modification with genetic manipulation?

I wonder how long it takes for the new genes to be expressed...

...because genetics doesn't work like that.

 

[Hrafnsmerki]

If they are useful, sign me up. If it's purely aesthetical... yeah... how 'bout "No".

It's funny, actually. I was on the bus today thinking about when would we really begin to get augmented reality directly on our bodies, like HUD in the eyes or something like that.

EDIT: Also, yeah, I know genetics don't work like that, but I believe the question is "If it worked like that, would you?".

 

[Matthew Kjonaas]

I would go with fixing defects encase I have inherited any that could be bad for my health or to not getting hurt as easily, beside I like my eye color.

 

[saviorindeath]

I think I will stick to aquatic, or emerald eye color, a leapard spotted tail, monkey feet(or some form of mutaiton where I can easlly grip onto things) and better vision...thats all I could ever ask for

 

[raklin]

In John Ringo's book series, The Council Wars, this was all quite common up to the events of the first book (There will be dragons, iirc). Memory serves, the main character of the series is rather genetically screwed up because of his ancestor's genetic mods, and can hardly take care of himself, until he finds an experimental treatment.

Seems to me that its a logical issue, if one were to start splicing together DNA on a wide spread scale - all that junk DNA can't possibly be doing you any good.

 

[Blobpie]

I'd want something useful, not different eyes.

 

[Darh Abdomino]

I'd go with improving the stress tolerance of my bones, so I can access the full power of my muscles, as well as eye-sight that doesn't suck, decreasing my need for sleep, and improving my reaction time from "pretty good" to "oh-my-god-that-was-unnatural". I'd also look into how much I could alter my brain chemistry to improve my visualization, natural focus, and technical talent. Oh, see about turning my pupils and irises to red, just to completely screw with whoever I was talking to.

 

[spartan231490]

I'm not afraid to be a hypocrite on this one. Genetic modification should not be pursued by science in the current world. Our species is completely unequipped to deal with this, and there are way too many slippery slopes that we are dancing on with every single experiment done in this field today. That said, I would genetically modify myself without hesitation given the chance. I have a few flaws I wouldn't mind a little genetic help ironing out. So there, that's my opinion on the subject.

 

[CulixCupric]

Really heavy stuff, actually. I think transhumanism is going to end up being a really big topic of debate over the next few decades. (not to say it isn't already)

I'm for transhumanism. humans are animals. i started researching animal and human behavior, and both group show the behavior of the other, and even habits. people just reject or deny the fact, as they try to separate humans and animals.

I'd want something useful, not different eyes.

sorry, it's hard to find visuals of genetic manipulation that isn't visible. the eye change one was the most common visible example. it's not easy to find a picture depicting a faster metabolism or stronger bones, are removing genetic defects.

 

[Belaam]

Sure thing.

Off the top of my head, I'd like:

A ca's ability to almost instantly go from night to day vision. Maybe mix it with some hawk DNA for better distance vision too.

Chimp muscle density.

Something in a more efficient lung (I think ours only get like 15% of the oxygen in a breath - swimming would be a lot more fun with a greater time of being under.

Faster wound regeneration a la starfish.

Slower metabolism... hmm (quick google) the bowhead whale lives to over 200 and is also a mammal, so might not be that difficult to cross over DNA.

Better sense of smell

Possibly wings, though flight would require some pretty major changes in bone density and the like to get my weight low enough for it to be feasible. Would far rather have all of the above than flight.

Though in your sci-fi setting, I guess I could switch back and forth.

 

[Kiju]

Yeah...I would probably modify things like...

Ears: Change them to be more canine-like, with the ability to swivel, and of course the enhanced ability of hearing.

Eyes: Improve the range of light levels they can see. Not quite low-light vision, but enough for me to be able to see in darker areas easier.

Mouth: Straighten my fucking teeth out. :\

Body: Improve my bone and muscle structure for greater speed and endurance

And I would have a wolf tail. Fluffy wolf tail. <3

 

[Eventidal]

Really heavy stuff, actually. I think transhumanism is going to end up being a really big topic of debate over the next few decades. (not to say it isn't already)

I'm for transhumanism. humans are animals. i started researching animal and human behavior, and both group show the behavior of the other, and even habits. people just reject or deny the fact, as they try to separate humans and animals.

I'd want something useful, not different eyes.

sorry, it's hard to find visuals of genetic manipulation that isn't visible. the eye change one was the most common visible example. it's not easy to find a picture depicting a faster metabolism or stronger bones, are removing genetic defects.

Humans have this thing for superiority. I personally find us to be quite inferior, since we are so poorly adapted/evolved. We have to change everything around us just to survive, and we all take that for granted. I think animals deserve a lot more respect than we give them. I'm not saying we should be bowing to the grizzly bear overlords or treating our pets with the same quality food and housing we get or something, but that we shouldn't be so high and mighty about ourselves. We shouldn't think of animals' lives as inconsequential to us. We should be aware of just how low on the food chain we really are.

But for the topic, if I were you I'd take down most of the pics. I think elf ears, cat girl and crazy eyes are enough to get the idea across. The others, you should just mention in text form. Stuff like better metabolism or bones aren't visible but they may well be a reality of this sort of thing. Unlike the pictures posted they could be a lot more useful in a realistic way.

 

[CulixCupric]

Humans have this thing for superiority. I personally find us to be quite inferior, since we are so poorly adapted/evolved. We have to change everything around us just to survive, and we all take that for granted. I think animals deserve a lot more respect than we give them. I'm not saying we should be bowing to the grizzly bear overlords or treating our pets with the same quality food and housing we get or something, but that we shouldn't be so high and mighty about ourselves. We shouldn't think of animals' lives as inconsequential to us. We should be aware of just how low on the food chain we really are.

But for the topic, if I were you I'd take down most of the pics. I think elf ears, cat girl and crazy eyes are enough to get the idea across. The others, you should just mention in text form. Stuff like better metabolism or bones aren't visible but they may well be a reality of this sort of thing. Unlike the pictures posted they could be a lot more useful in a realistic way.

yeah, humans have only survived so long because of technology, and other animals can, and do make tools, they just don't need them as much as we do. otters, birds, monkeys, elephants and dolphins use tools.

10 animals that use tools: http://www.livescience.com/9761-10-animals-tools.html

i think it would be cool if someone went werewolf, bought a cabin, moved into the woods, and lived of the land naturally, as a hunter. my favorite animals are otters, btw.