DNA Sequencing: Unlocking the Code

Biotechnology is an important part of living in the twenty-first century. In relation to the medical field, it has allowed for more levels of truth and reality to be exposed through such advances as x-rays, MRIs, and even sonograms. In fact, sonograms completely revolutionized the process of pregnancy, at least in America. Now through the sonogram people have their first look at their child and their baby's first little picture.  Biotechnology seems to have an impact everywhere.

There were seven different projects on the Critical Art Ensemble website. The website for the project called Society for Reproductive Anachronisms starts with the Manifesto section by showing a picture of a naked female and a naked male, who is holding a naked baby, with the words written across the image "No Genetic Alternations Necessary." These are powerful words. Biotechnology is all about advancing science to learn and see more. However, the Society for Reproductive Anachronisms is against the use of technology in any manner when it comes to the aspect of sexual reproduction. Much research has been done on the manipulation of DNA with animals, but it seems that the point of view of this project is that it should not be done, or at least taken seriously. Without the assistance of biotechnology, there are enough anomalies in this field of human reproduction which science can't explain. This is discussed in the Procession of the Damned section on the project's website. In the Fertility Aids section, other non-biotechnological methods are discussed. It seems that only natural methods should be utilized, from special herbs and unique recipes to help with reproductive disorders, to fertility rituals that have been practiced for centuries. 

This particular project on the Critical Art Ensemble website appears to have negative emotions towards biotechnology, or at least its involvement with these issues. This project feels that the input of science in this matter is very bad. In class, we discussed how the scientific visual culture has been responsible for changes in our environment. Biotechnology would like to experiment with modifying DNA to create people who look a specific way and to hopefully be able to predict what people would look like before they are even born. However, the Society for Reproductive Anachronisms is against this practice and its interested in bringing this issue to the attention of the masses.