[Marxism] Freeman Dyson on genetic engineering

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

The public distrusts Monsanto, because Monsanto likes to put genes for 
poisonous pesticides into food crops just as we distrusted von Neumann 
fifty years ago because he liked to use his computer for designing 
hydrogen bombs. I see a bright future for the biotech industry when it 
follows the path of the computer industry, the path that von Neumann 
failed to foresee—becoming small and domesticated rather that large and 
centralized.

The first step in this direction was already taken recently when 
genetically modified tropical fish with new and brilliant colors 
appeared in pet stores. For biotech to become domesticated, the next 
step is to become user friendly.

I recently spent a happy day at the Philadelphia flower show, the 
biggest flower show in the world, where flower breeders all over the 
world show off the results of their efforts. I also visited the reptile 
show in San Diego, an equally impressive show displaying the work of 
another set of breeders. Philadelphia excels in orchids and roses and 
San Diego excels in lizards and snakes. The main problem for a 
grandparent visiting the reptile show with a grandchild is to get the 
grandchild out of the building without buying a snake.

Every orchid or rose or lizard or snake is the work of a dedicated and 
skilled breeder. There are thousands of people, amateurs and 
professionals who devote their lives to this business. Now imagine what 
will happen when the tools of genetic engineering become accessible to 
these people. There will be do-it-yourself kits for gardeners who will 
use genetic engineering to breed new varieties of roses and orchids. 
Also kits for lovers of pigeons and parrots and lizards and snakes to 
breed new varieties of pets.

Genetic engineering, once it gets into the hands of housewives and 
children will give us an explosion of diversity of new living creatures, 
rather than the monoculture crops that the big corporations prefer. 
Designing genomes will be a personal thing—a new art form, as creative 
as painting or sculpture.

full: http://www.umich.edu/news/index.html?DysonWinCom05

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