Nature Vs the Environment

[cyberus151]

While an interesting idea, I don't really agree with it. I don't want it to become what this thread is about, but you don't really choose who you love, and people may wish to keep their... more private actions, between them and their partners. Not to mention the horrible things that may ensue, some personality traits do seem to be hereditary. Selective breeding is just something I think should stay with creatures.

[TxCat]

As this is essentially a variant of the Designer Babies thread, I'm going to merge the topic with that thread. Please continue your discussion there.

[DoomedDaphnia]

Yeah, but would you really want machines t do everything?? I agree about manual labor and stuff like that, but we still can't use them to do everything. And if we did use them to do everything, we would grow too complacent and.... well, soft.

I don't really think humans were all that strong to begin with Our cleverness is what allowed us to become the dominant species on the planet. I only see the machines we have now as tools we designed with our brains. That's why selective breeding for intelligence might be considered worth it whereas making humans more musclebound via genetics might not be.

As for genetic engineering/modification, has anyone heard of the goats they've engineered to produce spider silk protein in their milk? Apparently, it can be used to make bullet-proof vests for policemen.

[CreatureOfTheDeep]

C'mon, everyone's been there. You're sitting there playing your favorite video game or reading your big chapter book and your mom or dad snatches it from you, tells you to go outside for a change or do some chores, when there's nothing to be done, and it's either freezing cold or hot enough to melt metal outside. What's your opinion on parents? Personally, I think they do go into unnecessary overkill sometimes, but for the most part, they're pretty good, even though reminding you about chores and homework over and over makes you wanna punch them sometimes.

[DreamingOfIslands]

C'mon, everyone's been there. You're sitting there playing your favorite video game or reading your big chapter book and your mom or dad snatches it from you, tells you to go outside for a change or do some chores, when there's nothing to be done, and it's either freezing cold or hot enough to melt metal outside. What's your opinion on parents? Personally, I think they do go into unnecessary overkill sometimes, but for the most part, they're pretty good, even though reminding you about chores and homework over and over makes you wanna punch them sometimes.

Ohhhhhh yeah. I had that happen once. My dad doesn't understand the whole video game thing. I'd just gotten through beating a game I /really/ enjoyed and had gotten almost emotionally attached to (I cried at the end, I'll admit it) and was watching the final cutscene when my dad turned my game off because I refused to get off fast enough. You CAN'T skip the final cutscene! Then you'll never know the end and playing the game was for nothing! :tard: Lawl, I've never had my parents kick me outside, though it's come highly reccommended from them.

Schoolwork: Issue of mine. I've always believed my parents are unreasonably hard on me about this. I guess I've gotten a kind of feeling on occasion that what I've done isn't enough for them. They're always pushing for better grades, more work, Mom's always asking me about the boys at school, suggesting I start wearing makeup, etc.

You know, they mean well, though. Without my parents pushing me, I don't know if I'd have come as far as I have with my Asperger's. In all fairness, my mom's given me some drive to do better when my own has failed. They drive me a bit nutty, though. When I go home (I live in a dorm at college now) they /still/ make me walk the dogs that aren't mine and that they know I hate as much as a woman can hate a cute, furry animal (A LOT, with occasional temperance).

It's the good mixed in with the bad. There are no perfect parents, and while I've occasionally wished mine were more lenient, I've seen some pretty bad parenting due to leniency and I'm glad I didn't get raised like some of my cousins.

[nightclaw]

Yeah, but what if you wanted to.... make us smarter, have more brain capacity, and to use more of our brains without burning out the brain??

[Kestrad]

Except that that's IF we want them to do something which they would need the aforementioned treatment for. Unlike adult stem cells, the embryonic stem cells do it without such conditioning.

Of course, the embryonic stem cells can also become cancerous tumors without the aforementioned conditioning. Has there ever been a documented case where adult stem cells actually did turn cancerous?

Both of you misunderstand. Natural adult stem cells are very limited in what they can differentiate into. Because this is the case, their usage is very limited and scientists are looking for ways to either induce those adult stem cells (or non-stem cells) to become less differentiated. That's why they get treated--because adult stem cells just aren't useful enough.

Embryonic stem cells don't become cancerous, per se, but they do like to differentiate unexpectedly. And when people use them in stupid ways (like injecting them into the face for cosmetic purposes--idiots) they become cancer-like growths because they are no longer in a controlled environment, so of course they will differentiate and proliferate. They're embryonic cells, after all--their purpose is to grow.

[Umbreonna]

i have great parents...they let me to do everything :3

[Pink]

I am a parent, and there is a reason they pull you outside.
Anyone hear of exercise? And how about Vitamin D? As for chores, they feed you, care for you, and not to mention everything they buy for you. The least you can do is help around the house or yard. If parents didn't do all this (and a lot of them don't) I can garuntee that you won't be as succesfull in life as you can be.

@Umbreonna: Those...are sort of considered as bad parents. Spoiling you to priveliges isn't the best way to go, espicially buying you everything you want and letting you stay up until 3:00 AM. That gives you the hint of bossy-ness as you grow older ("I want it now! You said I can have it so gimme!"), excepting way too much from people, and not enough sleep for you to function correctly. Not to mention lack of disipline. They need to teach you that you can't have everything in life.

Even though my child is only about a month old, I still have expectations for her as should you from your parents.

[GrowlingCupcake]

I am a parent, and there is a reason they pull you outside.
Anyone hear of exercise? And how about Vitamin D? As for chores, they feed you, care for you, and not to mention everything they buy for you. The least you can do is help around the house or yard. If parents didn't do all this (and a lot of them don't) I can garuntee that you won't be as succesfull in life as you can be.

Answering two points: Exercise can be done indoors and you don't need much time in the sun for vitamin D. You can also get enough sitting near a window.

I'd also like to say... I'd probably be more succesful in life if not for my parents. Feed me, yes. Care for me? No. And I know a lot of parents who are unable to/do not/will not actually care for their children.

Parenting is extremely important and I have a lot of respect for good parents. Unfortunately, most parents are anything but good and I strongly believe a person must be required to attend classes on how to deal with children, how to bring children up and the like. I also believe a person must be required to attend counselling at least once or twice because many parents have issues which, if not resolved, are often passed down to children (by way of imitating or child sees that parent reacts in X manner and believes that X is correct).