In her article "Exit Meat", Mischa Peters introduces and discusses four concepts of how technology plays or will play a role in the human body, more specifically in science fiction. Peter's created a matrix that mixes and combines the concepts of "human", "posthuman", "internal technology", and "external technology". Using direct quotes and examples from a variety of science fiction media, Peters goes on to illustrate the four concepts she has created that are the "natural body", the "modified body", the "enhanced body", and the "cyberbody". The natural body consists of an unmodified body that is affected by technology around them, the modified body is one that has technological additions to it, the enhanced body is one in which the actual anatomy of the human body is changed by technology (strengthening muscles etc.), and the cyberbody is when technology takes over the entire body (a virtual body).
I feel like most people in our day in age would relate to the natural body, seeing as no such thing a a cyberbody, or even an enhanced body, is available. Our scientists are currently working on various elements of the modified body, but almost everyone is surrounded by an array of technology that contributes to the natural body. Every day I use a computer, view a televisions screen, and use my cell phone. Peters description enters a zone that is a little beyond our time, such as harvesting the body's own resources in order to power a computer, but I can't really relate to due to my laptop adapter and plugs in the wall. Pondering the future and whether or not we will have access to things such as an modified or enhanced body really is interesting. If i were presented with the option of adding something to my body or boosting its performance, right now I would say I probably wouldn't want to, but results may vary if I am actually placed in that circumstance.
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I agree with your final statement in which you state that you might want such an "add-on" when it would be presented to you. Who could possibly guess what we would desire in certain circumstances; although we may shy away from ideas now, it is difficult to assign that same reaction to every forthcoming situation.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine ways in which technology could further help us and increase our efficiency. . . but doesn't that just draw us farther away. Technology may have sped things up but this new speed has also increased the "minimum requirement" bar. Who could ever work in todays society without having a car or cellphone?
I agree that for the most part, the world is full of natural bodies. We take part in many technologically related things, but none of them are attached to us. I like this post and the fact that you would have to think about adding something on to your body. Technology can be scary, but it's always good to have an open mind.
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