Justin Yaquinto

Frinq Life-Unlimited?
Reflective essay
Mirrored Attitudes of Discourse and Future Endeavors,
A Reflection of a Years term!
" am #$ years old, secure in my career, %lay &uitar in a relatively successful 'and, and 'y all
accounts for t(e last )* years+ "ve 'een livin& my life t(e ,ay " ,ant to! " never ,ent to colle&e! After
(i&( sc(ool, my life ,as t(e o%en road, t(e ,ind in my face, and t(e dust in my ,a-e! .o,ever, for all
of t(at, "ve &ro,n restless in many of my endeavors over t(e %ast fe, years! "t ,as t(e love for my
%artner, ,(ose su%%ort of my interests rei&nited my love of learnin&! "t ,as 'ecause of (er t(at "
rene,ed my love of t(e life sciences! "n a ,ay it ,as a comin& (ome of sorts! " assure you t(at if you
-ne, me t(ose many years a&o, you ,ould a&ree! My tra/ectory (o,ever consisted of %layin& music
and learnin& lifes lessons on my o,n terms! "ts (as al,ays 'een on my o,n terms! 0(at aside, " started
my first year of colle&e last year, ,or-ed full time, %layed consistently in t,o 'ands, and actually
earned some %retty &ood &rades1 " /ust (ad to -ee% tellin& myself t(at " ,ould &et a day off in t(e
summer! 2o ,it( t(at %ast (istory and my current state of affairs in mind, " ,ant to reflect on a %ast
years ,ort( of inquiry! 0(e material ,e covered ,as e3tensive+ and it c(allen&ed my vie,s on ,(at it
is to 'e (uman, and (o, muc( a %erson can actually ta-e on! 4it( t(is essay " ,ill %rovide a &uided
tour of t(is ,or-, and " ,ill &ive my final im%ressions of t(e course!
0(e first fe, mont(s ,ere tedious! 5ettin& 'ac- into t(e s,in& of sc(ool after suc( a lon& 'rea-
%roved to 'e more t(an a little dauntin&! May'e rusty is a 'etter of a ,ord for it! 6ontrollin& my %ac-ed
sc(edule, ,(ile studyin& all ni&(t, and fulfillin& (ome,or- duties left no room for error! As my
classmates ,ere all ri&(t off t(e 'oat of (i&( sc(ool, t(is %rovided an interestin& dynamic ,it(in t(e
class! "m not sayin& " felt old, 'ut " /ust dont su'scri'e to many of t(e fads, or %o%ular entertainment of
t(e millennial &eneration! " didnt even (ave a cell %(one until " ,as in my mid-t,enties, and " can
remem'er a time ,(en t(e internet sim%ly didnt e3ist, at least not in t(e form t(at it does today! 0(ey
can come off as im%etuous and some,(at entitled! " ,onder ,(et(er t(is is a si&n of t(e times! 7er(a%s
t(eyre sim%ly a %roduct of a /uiced and mile-a-minute entertainment infrastructure! Eit(er ,ay, ,e
s(ared little %ersonal interest! .o,ever, for ,(at t(ey lac- in e3%erience, t(ey ma-e u% in a tendency to
lac- credulity! 0(is " find most interestin&, it is ,it( t(at " 'elieve a %olicy for discourse can 'e
fostered! " also t(in- it ta-es some sort of naive %anac(e to s%ea- ones mind ,it(out fear of ridicule! A
cou%le of my classmates ,ere really &ood at t(is! " also t(in- inte&ration into t(is demo&ra%(ic created
a lens for reflection 'et,een (o, "ve lived t(e %ast )* years, and ot(er li-ely tra/ectories, 'ut " di&ress8
0ryin& to d,ell on ,(at could (ave 'een and ,(at ,asnt done ri&(t is re&retfully not somet(in& " tend
to do! 2o 'ac- to t(e %ace!
4e ,ere &iven a %iece of (ard sci-fi 'y 7aolo 9aci&alu%i8 The Windup Girl is (is tale of
morality and stru&&le in a dysto%ian, almost steam %un- 9an&-o-, ,(ic( ric(ly de%icts t(e differences
'et,een natural and artificial life! " really li-ed t(e 'oo-! "t -inda (ad a 7(illi% :! Dic- feel to it! "t set
t(e sta&e for t(e rest of t(e course! " really t(in- t(at 'y loo-in& at a %iece of fiction, ,(ic( created
questions a'out &enetically en&ineered %lants, artificial (uman 'ein&s, ,ides%read social dissonance,
and cor%orate &reed could 'e com%ared to ,(at ,e ,ere &oin& to tal- a'out later on! 2ure, t(e 'oo- is
a ,or- of fiction, 'ut t(e science and %olitical fervor re%resented in t(is novel are /ust really
e3a&&erated e3am%les of current issues! " (ave some ,or- u% in my e-%ortfolio t(at touc(es on &ene-
(ac-in&, 'ioet(ics, 'io-(ac-ery, &eoen&ineerin&, synt(etic 'iolo&y, social inequity, resource de%letion,
and loss of 'iodiversity! 0(ese are t(e issues of The Windup Girl. "n so many ,ays, 9aci&alu%is ,orld
mirrors ours! .o,ever rooted in fantasy, it elucidates some of of t(e limits of life, and t(at old tro%e8
7layin& 5od!
2,itc(in& &ears from t(e fictional ,or-, ,e covered, Earthmasters, 'y 6live .amilton durin&
second term! " (ad already read t(e 'oo-, so " antici%ated tal-in& a'out t(is one in class! 9efore " delve
into t(ose discussions, a little (istory on %ersonal involvement ,it( conservation! " &re, u% in t(e
nineties, a decade ,(ere " feel t(ere e3isted more em%(asis on conservation, %ollution control, and
%lanetary (ealt(! "n t(at decade a reduction of &reen(ouse &as out%ut, mainly 6;$ ,as o'served!
Reduction of a (uman car'on foot%rint 'y recyclin& and usin& cleaner forms of ener&y 'oomed as ,ell!
0oday, our car'on emissions are at an all time (i&(! <e,ly develo%ed countries are %um%in& out more
to3ic slud&e t(an ,e could (ave ever antici%ated! 7olitics are favorin& economic &ro,t( in t(e face of
an environmental meltdo,n, and dis%osa'les, li-e %lastic are clo&&in& and -illin& off ecolo&ical nic(es!
6onservation s(ould 'e our main focus as a s%ecies in li&(t of t(e startlin& evidence of a %lanetary
catastro%(e, (o,ever in a ,orld of tec(no fi3es, t(ere are some %eo%le ,(o 'elieve ,e can en&ineer
t(e %lanet in order to s-irt disaster, and ultimately %reserve life on it! 9efore readin& t(is 'oo-, and
%arta-in& in len&t(y discussions on &eoen&ineerin& in class, " ,ouldve sided ,it( t(ese 7romeat(ean
adventuriers! After doin& t(e researc(, and teasin& out t(e catastro%(es t(is ty%e of en&ineerin& could
,rea- on t(e %lanet in re&ards to ,eat(er, 'iodiversity loss, drou&(t, famine, and ocean acidification, "
(ave c(an&ed my vie, on it com%letely! " t(in- en&ineerin& t(e %lanet and its ,eat(er is sim%ly a
'and-aid for t(e &a%in& ,ound t(at %ollution (as li-ely left in re&ards to &lo'al climate c(an&e!
For s%rin& term ,e s,itc(ed from t(in-in& a'out t(e lar&e scale t(in&s =&eoen&ineerin&>, and
loo-ed to some ot(er e3am%les of ,(at is &oin& on ,it( life and its limits! 0(e 'oo- Transhumanist
Dreams and Dystopian Nightmares 'y Ma3,ell J! Me(lman is an o'servation of &enetic modification,
and %ossi'le re%ercussions for future &enerations, 4(ile " found it a &eneral slo& to read, it did %rovo-e
%at(s of inquiry into /ust (o, far ,e s(ould &o to c(an&e ourselves! ;ne could say t(at ,e (ave
already c(an&ed (uman life ,it( tec(nolo&y! 2mart %(ones and t(e internet are t,o of t(ese c(an&es!
"nformation %asses more ra%idly t(an it (as in t(e (istory of man t(ese days! 0(ou&(t %rovo-in& and
fri&(tenin& in some of t(e ,ays ,e could en&ineer our &enes, (ac- our R<A, and ultimately modify
e3istence! "t is t(e trans(umanist dream of synt(etic 'iolo&ys %romises to im%rove (uman life, ,(ic(
could very li-ely doom it! Moreover, if ,e en&ineer ourselves, ,(at li-ely results ,ould our c(ildren,
or our c(ildrens c(ildren (ave to deal ,it(! 6ould en&ineered &enes 'e told to turn off if you didnt
,ant to %ass t(e &ene on? 4(at ,ould you tell someone 'orn decades from t(is one if t(ey (ad a &ene
inserted into t(eir D<A, ,(ic( s(ortens t(eir life s%an? Diseases and &enetic Fran-ensteins are
%ossi'le outcomes ,(en ,e start muc-in& ,it( t(e micro 'iolo&y of ourselves! 4(en " refer to limits
of life, t(ese e3ist as %ro%osed limits ,(en it comes to t(e trans(umanists! ;ne could sim%ly loo- to t(e
,orld of 9aci&alu%is, as ,e did early on to see ,(at li-ely results ,e could incur if t(e ma, of t(e
a'yss is tranversed, and on t(e ot(er side is an en&ineered %lanet and en&ineered %eo%le! "t is not a very
rosy %icture! 0(is term 'rou&(t everyt(in& ,e (ad 'een ,or-in& on to fruition! "t ,as not a closure of
sorts, 'ut it did ti&(ten t(e 'elt ,(en it came to self analy?ation and critical t(ou&(t! 9y loosenin& t(e
rei&ns in t(e first and second terms, yet to 'rin& it 'ac- in fold t(e s%rin&, " feel t(at "ve loo-ed more
in,ardly, and s(ared my -no,led&e of lifes limits ,it( my %eers more academically, and more
/udicially! ;n t(at note " ,ill reflect on (o, "ve c(an&ed my outloo-, and ,ill continue to do t(e (ard
,or- t(at is needed to fulfill some of my lifes &oals!
7rior to t(is year of colle&e, " lived 'y a some,(at mundane routine! " (adnt truly ,ritten
anyt(in& in many years+ and ,(ile " feel to 'e a fairly educated, and %roductive individual, " ,asnt
really &oin& any,(ere! 5oin& 'ac- to sc(ool (as led to &reat o%%ortunities! Eit(er in meetin& a variety
of %eo%le, ,(ose interests and ideals differ &reatly from mine, or 'ecomin& functionally %roficient in
academic s-ills! " t(in- " needed t(is /um%-start to furt(er my life, and to reali?e t(at t(ere s(ouldnt 'e
limits to ,(at you can do if you set your mind on it! Just in t(e ,or- on t(e essays, ,(ic( are %osted to
my e-%ortfolio8 " did t(e researc(, " assem'led t(e material to &reat len&t(, and " formulated my t(esis
of eac( one to suit my voice! " didnt ta-e t(e reflective a%%roac( until t(is essay, 'ut after revie, of
my terms ,or-, " feel li-e my voice, or my ar&ument is clear! 0(ere are limits to 'iolo&ical life, 'ut
t(ere do not e3ist limits ,(en it comes to %(iloso%(ical, or cat(artic ventures! 0(is rene,al of a %assion
for ,ritin& (as filled some of t(e (ole, ,(ic( (ad e3isted in my life %rior to colle&e! Artistic outlet
aside, ,ritin& s(ould 'e a voice+ and if you (ave a valid ar&ument, it e3ists as a %o,erful t(in& in li&(t
of current affairs! 0(is ,(olly su&&ests t(at discourse, and %aradi&m s(ifts are /ust ,aitin& to 'e
fostered into e3istence 'y some -een ,riters %en, or activists camera! 6urrent times (ave seen
'lit?-rie& entertainment, %ollution, and a num'in& of society! 0(ese (ave li-ely led to some of t(e
,orlds %ro'lems, and critical t(ou&(t ,(en it comes to t(e 'i&&er issues surroundin& t(ese %ro'lems
must 'ecome a (a'ituality!
A &lo'ali?ed society, ,(ic( is ,(ere ,e are currently (eadin&, must 'e ,illin& to ta-e on t(e
'i& issues of life! Youn& %eo%le, ,(ose (ands t(e ,orld is 'ein& %laced are &oin& to need to ,or-
to&et(er and foster %eace in t(e future! 4ars are 'ein& fou&(t over resources, as t(ey al,ays (ave 'een!
Under t(e &uise of reli&ious, or societal freedom %eo%le die every day to -ee% t(e dollar 'ills rollin& in!
0(is (as to c(an&e, and it ,ont 'e easy! 6(an&e starts ,it(in an individual, and can &ro, out,ardly
from t(ere! " cant re%eat t(is enou&(, 'ut an o%en mind, and an o%en (eart are t(e only ,ays to 'reed
&ood c(an&e for society! " t(in- t(at t(is years ,ort( of ,or- (as started some of t(at c(an&e ,it(in
myself and my classmates! 4e are more -no,led&ea'le ,(en it comes to lifes limits, lar&e, small, and
internally t(an ,e ,ere at t(e start of t(e year! 4e (ave &ro,n to res%ect ot(er o%inions, and may'e
c(an&e our ,ay of t(in-in& ,(en %resented ,it( ar&uments! 0(is is critical t(ou&(t, you cant teac( it
directly, 'ut it can 'e o'tained li-e a s-ill! "t is a life s-ill!
"t ,asnt an easy year for me! " (ad to /u&&le full-time ,or-, t,o 'ands, friends, s(o,s, and
movin& mid-,inter! ;n to% of t(is " too- a full load of classes, and even found time in my sc(edule to
fly to t(e east coast for a ,ee- in t(e middle of it all! 0(is summer, as " loo- 'ac- on my first year of
colle&e, " (o%e to revie, my academic stren&t(s, and ,or- on my ,ea-nesses! " t(in- some of my lifes
limits involve stretc(in& myself too t(in across a myriad of o'/ectives! "n order to distill my &oals "
must avoid a loss of focus! 0(ere e3ists a &reat deal of inquiry left to 'e rooted out 'y an inquirin&
mind! E3%osin& t(e limits of life, and t(e limits of one years ,ort( of ,or- (as led me to %ostulate8
0(ere are many more years of life and inquiry to come!