Out of the four described conceptual bodies in Mischa Peters’ article “Exit Meat”, I most identify with the natural body. This body is described as being “human” with “external technology” in the article’s matrix of conceptual bodies. This body represents the traditional human body as they were born, but it incorporates technology readily into their life, though keeping it distinctly separate from the body itself. I connect with the natural body because, though I am intrigued by technology, I am weary of its potential impacts. I use technology daily, however I do not rely on it for my very existence. No battery supplies my energy or disk controls my brain. The thought of having such devices engrained within me frightens me because you never know if any glitches may arise or parts may breakdown. Having a natural body, I can rest assured that I will only encounter natural system breakdowns. I also will not have to struggle with the blurred line of what constitutes my flesh and what is only artificially me.
On the contrary, I am interested in experiencing the cyber body. This conceptual body is defined by Peters as “human” as well as the natural body, but it incorporates “internal technology” in addition to human flesh. This body functions essentially as a virtual you. I think it would be a completely strange way to live, but it would make for an exciting experience. It is odd to think about the mind as a totally separate entity from the body, but this conception makes the distinction happen. I am not much of a physically active person anyways, so I don’t feel that I would have as much of a struggle adjusting as others might upon converting to a virtual person. I would enjoy being protected from physical harm, since a digital version of me would not feel any pain. However, I dislike the idea that my actual body would basically be lying somewhere to rot. To prevent this scenario, I think I would prefer to simply experience the virtual life once for a short period of time. This way I will be less likely to regret the return to my natural state, which is presently and will always be the true me.
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Wow! Your interest in the cyber body caught my attention. I understand your position about wanting to experiment with internal technology since it would be a "painless" experience. I myself still can not imagine trying this experience nor has my curiosity gotten the best of me to the point that I would consider this transformation. I'm glad that you would only want to separate your mind from your body for a short period of time to keep from letting your body disintegrate in the real world.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the approach you took, experiencing the concept of a cyber body. By being integrated with "internal technolgy", there is a whole different spectrum of experience that is available now in a natural body, bound by human limitation. Yet, if one was to separate mind and body, there is the experience of one's consciousness as a "virtual person" and a natural body experience. But I would think, by eliminating one's connections to their natural body (such as pain), would you still be able to call yourself human?
ReplyDeleteI agree with your first paragraph in that I would not want technology to literally help run my body by powering it, or by controlling my brain. The idea of technology controlling our brains, which is present in many science fiction movies, represents ultimate dehumanization and loss of self to the government, or whoever else is holding the controls. I also agree with you that I would not trust technology, which is often glitchy at first and never perfect, to power my body. However, when it comes to your argument in the second paragraph, I believe it contradicts your first paragraph, and I also agree with what Jason said. If your whole life consisted only of you controlling a virtual self, and your actual human body was always secluded from interpersonal contact and just plugged in somewhere, it would not be correct to still call yourself human. However, perhaps an occasional day as an avatar would in fact be fun.
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