As the cloning debate of humankind continues we find ourselves in an interesting predicament. We see the need of self to extend past one's own lifetime as an innate characteristic; self-preservation has always been one of mankind's greatest drivers of motivation. World Religions in their haste to rally group support and social order amongst the masses have in fact been able to capitalize on this to a large degree, purposing the idea of eternal salvation for a promise of the individual in this life time to do as they are told and live their life in a certain way.
That certain way includes among other things; not upsetting the current hierarchy of power. Human Beings obviously have questions which need to be answered such as; How did I get here, How did all this begin, what happens to me when I die and what will happen to the entirety of all I see in the end, when will it all end. World Religions can use these needs of the individual to know such things as a lever to control their psyche, by carefully answering all those questions in some sort of believable and yet un-provable way. Of course over time as more scientific light is shed on various subjects these religions must adapt their story line a bit to keep all the believers buying the storyline. Most of the most successful religions have done a good job of using vague comments on the answers so that they are able to adapt over time.
As the language changes they can revert back to the old definitions, adopt the new ones, take a broader interpretation in a non-literal sense or stick with a fundamentalist exact reading. Often different groups in different regions or cultures may adopt all of these methods. Similar to our laws, where you as an individual can do anything you wish provided you have the right lawyer to re-interpret the law, use the letter of the law, use case law on either side to shed light on the grayness of the law.
In the end all truth is relative from the perspective of the individual, judge or jury you see? Why is this important? What does this have to do with Cloning? Well simple, those against cloning are generally fundamentalist in thinking or they simply cannot comprehend the benefits or short falls which cloning might cause and therefore have sided with the fundamentalists views as a fall back position.Cloning has some serious advantages in that genetically speaking those who at first can afford to clone will come from men of means or of wealth. Having more than one of you might be an incredible leg up on the world no doubt. Many people with similar vision and skills will be able to do more with less and further ones efforts in society, business, leadership positions, etc. If entire family units are made up of those who are cloned, who pool resources they will in fact do better than families who are not working together so closely and are not cloned, lack the discipline of a purposeful and united vision or are diffused as each sets out into the world to make their way. Which is generally the case in America.
Where we train our young to go out into the world get a college degree and go work for large companies or other families who own businesses and corporations. Those other families and their accumulated teams, corporations, networked groups and families thus use those who wish to make a name for themselves the opportunity to advance within a new family, the corporation. For this the rising young star can be highly compensated or economically enslaved if they fail to meet expectations of the whole of the family, corporation or it's shareholders.This of course we already know.
As we watch the classic fight between union and company and the fights of corporations and families from many different countries work together at times and then duke it out in the market place at others, often enlisting government to tilt the field in their favor long enough to level another blow to their competitor. Meanwhile the young new entrant into the economic minded family is barraged with a number of decisions as to what they want out of their personal life for fulfillment as they sift through the mixed messages of advertising, peer pressure, religious doctrines, governmental rallied nationalism or attraction of a mate.The capitalist or founding families of the companies or those heavily leveraged in its' outcome and success reap from these efforts along with the individual rising star or up and coming if they are to treat their efforts and dedication the same way with the same convictions. This is done by incentives, stock options, golden handcuffs, great titles, social status and money, perceived wealth and/or the ability to further leverage future earnings through borrowing from credit unions and banks to live at a higher standard of living or in a belief system of quality of life and arrival to a new plateau in ones career? Is this good or bad? Well it just is and this need of the individual is balanced around the needs of the corporation. Again why is this important to cloning? Well in cloning those who are cloned can serve the needs of the individual advancement within the group in a way never before possible outside the close run wealthy class families.
At first cloning will only be available to those who have the capacity to pay for it and only those who have out of country hideaways to do it, since the entire socio-economic models of capitalism currently in place in most countries might be in jeopardy as those with the capital could lose their power to those with the greatest number of inter-related family clones. In many countries we have extremely powerful groups of families and in some cases one family in control of the entire country, the people of these countries are allowed enough latitude of freedom as long as they perform for helping in the system. Those who do not go along with these pre-agreed upon methods are killed, exiled, leave, made slaves or are sent to prison. Those in charge continue to make sure they also rule over the form of government in such a way, which keeps them in power, wouldn't you? If your answer is no and you are benevolent by nature, it would not take you very long to convert.
We need to be thinking if we are ready for a paradigm shift which might change the balance of power of Corporations by creating Super Families of Clones. Think about it.
."Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/.
By: Lance Winslow