Poll: Would you use Genetic Manipulation as a Body Modification?

[Loop Stricken]

I absolutely would, for both cosmetic and health reasons.

I've got poor eyesight so that shit would get fixed immediately, with a colour customisation to boot! Not sure whether I'd go with red or yellow, though I'm leaning towards the latter. Hell, since it's all theoretical anyway, I'll even include a mental switch that can make my yellow eyes glow in the dark!
Ooh, and make the pupils those horizontal goat-eye things. That's cool.

Otherwise, obligatory anti-ageing treatments notwithstanding; stronger bones, more efficient lungs and digestive tracts, a second heart perhaps.
Basically, the parts of the Adeptus Astartes that don't turn me into a steroid-overdosed walking tank, but DO make me awesome.

 

[RQshadowe]

I think, i would have genetic modification on the one condition that the old genes could be saved, and then my progeny could have those genes remapped onto the ones i had changed, if they so wished.

And all causes of beauty and most of necessity are objective.

 

[Robert Ewing]

I'm scared of genetic modification...

 

[Snow Fire]

Cat ears, cat tail, different eye color and hair color, and body hair below my head going away forever, this is all I need. :>

 

[Odbarc]

I'd do it. Hells ya!

 

[Denamic]

Absofuckinglutely.
So what if it makes me 'inhuman'.
What is the big deal about being human anyway?

 

[CulixCupric]

If its purely just for appearance then no, I'd rather not stand out like that. I'd want it to at least have some kind of practical use first.

practical uses:
ears would increase hearing, eyes would have low-light vision, fangs would help eating, fur would keep you warm, you could increase your metabolism, strengthen your bones, tendons, joints, muscles, etc. why not add webbed hands and gills and become an Olympic swimmer? although that might be cheating. can anyone else think of any cosmetics that have practical uses?

 

[Eventidal]

@OP: That's a pretty crazy list of nothing. Hair and eye color changes, elf ears, I get it. You posted like 10 completely unnecessary extra examples of the same kinds of manipulation. Red eyes are up there like 5 times. Elves 4. One is more than enough. >_>

But yeah, I'd do it. If possible I'd change myself so much I'm not even human anymore. It's hard to explain why, but if I had the means to do so... sure. Really, I'd make the change because I see my fursona as the greater version of myself, sort of like who I am inside. If I could become that in reality, I would. Unlike many others, I don't see the big point in trying to be natural and not changing anything about ourselves, retaining our humanity. In my eyes, the physical part of humanity isn't what makes us special or in any way a good thing. I kind of like the idea of having a more diverse set of intelligent species on our planet. If some people choose to change themselves so much that they're no longer human... well, it certainly obscures how we look at species and the animal kingdom and life in general, but it could very well broaden our horizons quite a bit.
Imagine if mermaids were a real thing, made possible through genetic engineering. They could really contribute a lot to society and the arts, as living underwater is a concept almost entirely unimaginable to us. We stay on land a lot more than underwater, so they could be pretty useful in helping solve the many mysteries of the deep.
There's a lot of potential bad (if someone decides to get Spiderman web powers with genetic engineering, how do we deal with people suddenly being able to climb the sides of structures and swinging around? What about a guy who goes werewolf? Are claws considered concealed weapons?) but there's good in there.

Well, yeah, that could get pretty bad. Maybe we'd have to have laws against changing people's brains, so there are no crazy werewolf attacks. I still feel like we're going to get to this point in our lifetimes where such things are possible, and even if the law doesn't allow them, who's to say they won't happen anyway? Certainly it's harder to research and extract and change DNA sequences, synthesize the molecules and create viruses that will change a person's DNA to the new version against the watchful eye of the law, but somewhere, somehow, if the technology exists, it will happen. And we'll have to find a way to deal with it.

Really heavy stuff, actually. I think transhumanism is going to end up being a really big topic of debate over the next few decades. (not to say it isn't already)

 

[Spiny Norman]

If its purely just for appearance then no, I'd rather not stand out like that. I'd want it to at least have some kind of practical use first.

practical uses:
ears would increase hearing, eyes would have low-light vision, fangs would help eating, fur would keep you warm, you could increase your metabolism, strengthen your bones, tendons, joints, muscles, etc. why not add webbed hands and gills and become an Olympic swimmer? although that might be cheating. can anyone else think of any cosmetics that have practical uses?

He did say that if it was purely for appearance than no. All the things you listed were cosmetic as well as mechanical changes to the body. Changing eye color is purely cosmetic but getting a human version of cat eyes is cosmetic but also provides actual measurable changes to the body's capabilities. Also fangs don't really help eating for omnivores. They help rip and tear meat better but you sacrifice the grinding action of molars for eating plants. I guess you could try to combine both herbivore and carnivore teeth but that is pretty much what omnivores have anyway.

 

[Aerosteam]

Beast eyes? Furry features? Why would I want that? I understand people have an interest in Neko (Cat ears stuck on humans) but I don't think it would be very practical.

As in body modifications, I'd make myself look the way I want to look and still look human.
Change the shape of my nose (bloody nostrils are to big)
Enhance my vision (my eyesight is getting worse by the minute)
Lighten my skin a little bit (not than I hate the skin colour I have, I just prefer a lighter tone)
Straighten my teeth more (so I don't have to wear these God damn braces)
Slow down the speed of hair growth (I shave about 3 times a week, it's as boring as Desert Bus)

But if I were to choose a single body modification, it would be to change my voice to a woman's or have the ability to do multiple voices eg. strong accents.

 

[forsaac]

Wow lots of trans humanisim lately but yeah Id say if i could use it for anything it would be some thing subtle like a better sense of smell or a better sense of hearing.

Don't get me wrong the other stuff looks cool but its not for me.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Hell yes, I got crappy long ranged vision, would mod the hell out of it to get better. Maybe throw in infra red as a toggle?

Its different to cosmetic enhancements like changing your eye colour, I like my blue/grey colour the way it is.

There is one thing I'm wrong about though. Genetic manipulation is WORSE than plastic surgery, as plastic surgery stops with you. It doesn't affect the gene pool. I forgot about that...

Not so much. D.N.A determines your genes, so unless you modify your D.N.A your kids will come out looking like you before you got the third eye and pointy ears installed.

 

[Spiny Norman]

If it is assumed that changing one's appearance and body in general on a genetic level is as easy and safe as changing clothes, than I would certainly go ahead with it. I probably wouldn't do anything drastic to start, maybe just eye color and hair in addition to the general long life, resistance to disease, better stamina, etc. However, who knows one day I might feel like having purple skin and walking on all fours but I think it would depend on the mood much like choice of fashion.

 

[aashell13]

I don't think using genetic manipulation for cosmetic effect would be a good idea. Sure, elf ears and cat eyes are in right now, but are you absolutely sure your great-grandkids are on board with the idea?

Better to let nature take its course with that stuff.

If you're going to be fixing genetic disorders though, I guess that's fine.

 

[babinro]

Not for cosmetic or aesthetic purposes since I prefer the body as natural as possible.

I would absolutely embrace it if such genetic manipulation addressed constant issues like headaches, knee pain, and back pain.

 

[Aircross]

Body modification with genetic manipulation?

I wonder how long it takes for the new genes to be expressed...

...because genetics doesn't work like that.

 

[Hrafnsmerki]

If they are useful, sign me up. If it's purely aesthetical... yeah... how 'bout "No".

It's funny, actually. I was on the bus today thinking about when would we really begin to get augmented reality directly on our bodies, like HUD in the eyes or something like that.

EDIT: Also, yeah, I know genetics don't work like that, but I believe the question is "If it worked like that, would you?".

 

[Matthew Kjonaas]

I would go with fixing defects encase I have inherited any that could be bad for my health or to not getting hurt as easily, beside I like my eye color.

 

[saviorindeath]

I think I will stick to aquatic, or emerald eye color, a leapard spotted tail, monkey feet(or some form of mutaiton where I can easlly grip onto things) and better vision...thats all I could ever ask for