Three Magic Seeds: genetic engineering isn't going away, so what do we want done with it?

[NaTasha Shastan Bertrand]

We humans are tool-makers, and once we have developed a tool we rarely stop using it. Genetic engineering is a tool. What do we want this tool to be used for? What sort of vision do we want this technology to aim for?

I think a good way to explore this is to ask:
If you were given three magic "seeds" that could each grow into any organism you wanted by you breathing over them a carefully parsed wish, what would you think about wishing for?

I would probably aim at organisms that could clean up toxins polluting the environment, such as mercury or lead, sealing them off somehow to be biologically unavailable. Maybe these organisms would need some sort of counter in them, to limit the number of generations possible, in order to not be threats to the environments they are being used to clean up. This question came out of a dream I had two nights ago, and it has been in my mind ever since.

So what sort of wishes can you dream up?
NSB

[Jeffrey V.]

Great dream discussion NaTasha! I dream of a nuclear radiation and an anti-cancer magic seed.

[NaTasha Shastan Bertrand]

Thank-you Jeffrey. Good ideas. Any further thoughts on them? What sort of form they would be, limitations included in the engineering of them, methods of deployment, that sort of thing?
NSB

[Zia Ka]

Then this
I Would if I could with my Three Seed Wish
unite all three seed wishes to conceive and born
one absolute seed .
With The capability of achieving An Evolutionary/Quantum Leap
in the consciousness of the
Species
Peace Prosperity Equality
for all
And Un/compromised respect for our
Only Earth/Environment
I Believe You Comprehend What Is Occuring
Soon All Seeds Are going
to have to be purchased from
Corp[orations
That is absolute power
over the species
War and Bombs destroy infrastructure/agriculture
The new power
is Absolute Control
over Nutrition/Food/Water

[NaTasha Shastan Bertrand]

Hi Zia Ka. Yes, wouldn't these seeds be wonderful!

The direction the large genetic engineering companies seem to be headed in with seeds and other food crops scares me, too. Biominimalism is a dead-end for us all, to my eyes. This is part of why I put this question up here.

I want to find other routes for this technology, and the corporations who have it, to take. I want them to stop with the minimalizing our food sources and poisoning all the ecosystems at the same time (as many of the GE seeds are developed to pair with potent herbicides/ fungicides/ pesticides). I don't think someone who is ruled by greed is going to listen to much logic, and it seems to me that these corporations are ruled by such people.

Maybe if we can find other routes for them, which still earn them lots of money and cast them as heros instead of villains, maybe this will be a step in a healthier direction?

I, too, dream of a quantum leap in the consciousness of our species. I am searching for ways to make that dream manifest, even if it takes a round-about and scenic route. I am trying to remember "It's not the destination, but the journey . . ." but I hope this journey is fast.

Blessings,
NSB

[Susmita Barua]

How about conscious self engineering of genes and DNA via conscious spiritual intention. I read some spiritually aware indigo childrens show signs of immunity to AIDS, Cancer and such autoimmune diseases. You may enjoy reading this thread on DNA potential and activation of third helix and more..

Joyful dreaming

[NaTasha Shastan Bertrand]

Hi Susmita,
Thank-you for joining in. I haven't heard about appearances of a third helix before. There is so much being explored and discovered in all sorts of different areas of life and connection. The more helpful routes we can find, the better!

Beautiful photo, BTW. Just lovely.
NSB

[Zia Ka]

NTSB
Blessings Received And Acknowledged

Intuition
And Empathy
Are A Sacred
And Uniting
Principle In What We Dream
Of Achieving

Peace
Sister

[Zia Ka]

For You
Persona;l/Corporate
Greed Is Never Ever Going To
Compromise
For What
Is In The Best Interests Of
The General Populations
Greater Good

Pickens
Is Now Acquiring
All The Fresh Water He Can
Get His Greed Around

Please Read

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/9/12/flow_for_love_of_waternew_film

[Susmita Barua]

Zia here in my hometown Lexington, Ky I supported a grassroots group by the name Bluegrass FLOW which tried its best to bid for local ownership of our water through a referendum but that bid failed.

I see many of our system breakdowns is tied with the man-made capitalist financial system. We need to quickly wake up and wake up others at local government, community, grassroots and global level about this problem...that a debt-free usury free sustainable self-balancing transparent currency of the people by the people is the best long-term antidote to transform tyranny of a few. I have written articles, blogs and started a discussion at zaadz now gaia.com. Search for "Transforming capital in capitalism": A citizen's manifesto. All is not lost.

I may be taking you in a different direction than the original thread by Natasha which I like quite a bit. I have had similar dreams...I like to explore all possibilities of using natural algae or organisms for such environmental clean-up measures or genetic engineering that is bio-compatible..you know what I mean...so we don't create many new unforseen problems as in GM foods.

cheers
http://seek2know.gaia.com/blog

Cheers

[John S]

A great question! Technological tools, when used for the promotion of improved health and sustainability, can be quite useful. On the other hand, a longer lifespan and more people simply add to the energy needs of the planet. Humans have been using technology for centuries, and genetically engineering plants and animals (we call them crops, livestock and pets) for millenia. While possibly with good intentions, GM seeds have not been well investigated, despite industry's assurances that they are, or have been. Why is it that squirrels, for instance, will not eat GM corn? By the way, there are already organisms genetically modified to clean up toxins. That may be a good thing, I think!

As for genetic technology in medicine, the more we know about genes, the closer we get to cures for hideous diseases. The downside, of course, is that so much of it is proprietary, and ends up being used by big corporations instead of being shared with those so much in need. My wish would be for a seed to grow into a corporate mindset of compassion, empathy, and sustainability without greed as an ingredient.

[NaTasha Shastan Bertrand]

That would be quite a seed, John S!

Unfortunately, I think greed is here to stay with us. How do you think we can work with it? What "seeds" do you think might appeal to the greedy and be good for the planet at the same time?

I was not aware that squirrels will not eat GM corn! That's really interesting. Do you have any links to sources where I could read more about this?

I am going to be terribly nit-picky and pedantic for a moment :^D We have not been generically engineering for millenia: we have not had the technology. We domesticated some plants and animals, and have selectively bred them to suit our needs. We have protected them, and they have flourished. This is not at all the same thing as genetic engineering, although the big corporations that sell GE/GM foods market them as being the same. Nut-shelled: Selective breeding can only use what genes are naturally available in the parent species, and if you cross two related but separate species together you end up with a sterile hybrid, with very few exceptions. GE/GM takes genes from one species and implants them hap-hazardly within the DNA of completely unrelated species (such as pig genes into tomatoes) with uncontrolable viruses and hopes to create something highly marketable (in the above instance, tomatoes that ship well, although are very low in flavour and available nutrients) and therefore profitable for the company.

You are so right about everything needing to be well investigated. I recently saw this:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6393/is_4_16/ai_n28866050/pg_1
Wow. The end of the world was so close!

Best,
NSB

[John S]

NaTasha:
Yes, I realize that genetic engineering is not exactly the same as selective breeding, but at the molecular level, what does "natural" mean? This is semantics. Mutations occur, which is a re-writing of the genetic code and results in new features. Selective breeding is not "natural." Technology has given us shortcuts to this process. I don't necessarily like it, but I see it as the processes involving the same things. Generally, if any process increases the health of a population, whether it is human or another species, we accept it. GMOs are, as I said, new genetic codes that have not been sufficiently researched. Altering a gene by entering one from another organism isn't necessarily bad, it is just changing the code. It doesn't matter where it comes from; it doesn't mean that the result is a cross between two unrelated species, it's just an identified code that can be manipulated to create a new individual. Implanting a sequence from a pig gene does not mean that somehow a pig is now in a tomato! My greatest concern is, as you said, the "haphazard" splicing of genes. I would like to see ethics more involved in the process, but that may be a pipe dream.