Helix and Orphan Black: Cults & Genetic Engineering

Both Helix and Orphan Black not only play on fears of genetic engineering, but embed these fears within the context of cult-like organizations. In Orphan Black it is the Dyad Corporation and the actual cult of Proletheans who are interested in Project Leda's creation of the Sarah and the Clone Club; the military is in charge of Project Castor's creation of male clones. In Helix not only is there the cult-like Ilaria Corporation engineering a virus to wipe out most of humanity's "surplus population," but in Season Two we have an actual cult composed of the descendant's of one of the immortals. In this case, the cult itself is involved in splicing plants (an early form of genetic engineering) to create hybrids and creates an apple which sterilizes males (an interesting twist on the apple as forbidden fruit).

By embedding the fears of genetic engineering within a cult or cult-like organization, it amplifies human fears of hidden agendas. It also makes for some interesting plot devices and twists. Cults have been out of the news for awhile, so this plot device really is an interesting choice.

Pop Culture & The Horrors of Genetic Engineering: Orphan Black and Hemlock Grove

It is commonly accepted among literary scholars that Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was successful because it played on human fears of the new technology of electricity. To a certain extent, the exploitation of pop culture fears has continued apace with technological development ever since. This includes movies about virtual reality (Lawnmower Man and The Thirteenth Floor), artificial intelligence (Transcendence), and genetic engineering (Species and Species II).

Genetic engineering however has become the most omnipresent in our society of all of these technologies and is involved in everything from our food to attempts to create children with three parents so that gay couples both claim parentage of their offspring. Accordingly, it has become a topic ripe for exploitation in popular culture. Both Orphan Black and Hemlock Grove are excellent exemplars of this, and well made to boot. While they both capitalize on fears of research run amok, Hemlock Grove really takes the mad scientist meme to heart with the mysterious Ouroborous project going on in the lab. Orphan Black takes the other root and capitalizes on Hannah Arendt's banality of evil, showing that one corporation pursuing its own ends can produce horrors.

While neither show is inherently a horror show, they do exploit human fears and apprehension of the potential results of genetic engineering, even if Orphan Black does this in more detail.

Another Step Down the Slippery Slope of Designer Babies & Transhumanism

AP reports that for the first time in known history researchers have aktered the genetic code of a human embryo. The entire story can be found here, but the money quote is:

The idea of designer babies is that someday, scientists may insert particular genes into embryos to produce babies with desired traits like intelligence or athletic ability. Some people find that notion repugnant, saying it turns children into designed objects, and would create an unequal society where some people are genetically enriched while others would be considered inferior.

The fear articulated above is completely legitimate. Afterall, no one really wants to live Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. The article referenced above quotes a scientist from the Center for Genetics and Society that said these techniques could be used by others to make genetically modified people, "and they're doing it without any kind of public debate." I'm all for scientific advancement, but bioethical issues such as this deserve to be debate fully by our society. It's bad enough that we have a meritocracy which looks down on those who fail to climb up as far. Establihing a new caste system created because those Thomas Jefferson referred to as The Natural Aristocracy in his Notes on the State of Virginia have access to wealth and resources which allow them to further priviledge their offspring through genetic engineering threatens our entire national identity. It also would profoundly alter social dynamics throughout the world.

There is an alternative movement called transhumanism which embraces the concept of germline genetic engineering and human nuero-interfacing with computers etc. as a way of furthering human potential. It's an active movement with whom I don't have as much quarrel on the neuro-interfacing issue because those hardward based modifications won't permanently be encoded and passed down in our genes. However it embraces a philosophy which essentially believes that anything which can be done should and will be done. Unfortunately, this philosophy is a pretty close approximation of how technology is advancing on our planet. Anything which is abhorrent to Western Civilization or Judeo-Christian Values will likely just take root and advance in Asia which does not necessarily share the same moral/philosophical values.

Such a step actually makes the prospect of a new caste system even worse because it further limits access to these technologies to those rich enough to travel to Asia and stay long enough to have the procedures performed.

I'm not sure what the answer to this is. But it is another step down the slippery slope.

The Best Thing Ever!

The upside of bio-genetics - Scientists jave bred cows that give skimmed milk. This is an incredibly efficient way to get skimmed milk, which most people like, and will reduce the amount of operating expenses dairies have to pay. Looks win-win right now. Now all we have to do is eliminate the outdated milk pricing system.


Scientists breed cows that give skimmed milk-News-UK-Science-TimesOnline