Blog Entry 8: Midterm Essay 3

Anthony Andujar Jr 

4/12/14 

Eng101 

Professor J.C. Smith 

                                                                               Cloning animals 

                                                                 Society shouldn't clone animals 

 Society shouldn't clone animals because there are possible risks that could potential epidemics as well as ethical problems that could prevent evolutionary progress and could lead to a chance of human cloning. Which could lead to tons of ethical conflicts that would grow with in society. There are numerous studies that detail the complications and the results of cloning animals when it comes to  producing food for corporate factory farms at a large pace.  If society continues to exercise these very actions, then the number of health risks will soar higher than what society could ever imagine. 

  Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation , He goes into detail about factory farms, and how they do damage to not just the animals, but also the environment due to the amount of waste that is left behind due to the treatment of the cattles. This is an example of a ripple effect that would start as an isolated event, to only become a more global event. And much like factory farming itself, Cloning, is just that. It is a potential threat that to some would seem minor in the present, until it snowballs into something much bigger as a health scare.  

 There are articles such as some that mention Dolly the cloned sheep a  point of reference as a perfect clone, yet despite this, there have been numerous cloned animals that died multiple times in birth, or would die after a few weeks of age. Some of the symptoms that would lead to death as explained in articles such as University of Utah's 2014 article "what are the risks of cloning". In that article, they mention that’s the risks of animal cloning and causes of death are due to: abnormal brain/kidney development, and weak immune system. End animal cloning.org expands on the side effects mentioning that animals cloned are also born with enlarged limbs , along with other deformities. 

These are signs that show the possible health risks that it can pose on humans. Most animals are already in a state of torture as it is due to factory farms experimenting with whatever ways to produce cattle faster and slaughter them quicker for a larger profit.  And since the FDA (food and drug administration) seems to lack its focus on the matter,  Who's to say that whatever side effects that are affecting these animals, won't happen to a consumer who buys cloned meat, without any knowledge that the very food that they bought was cloned, and the potential side effects that could follow suit, leading to largely possible health epidemics. Things like that should require more attention since it could cause possible diseases if not checked and dealt with. 

Society shouldn't clone animals, because it could lead to ethical problems amongst society. It also harms the very animals that bare the clones and causes side effects to the carrier as well as the child that is to be born. The side effects of cloned animals that lead to their death such as deformities, abnormal growth in limbs, immune system failure, are enough risk factors among potential risk factors that could develop ahead of time. All these things could harm society and put every one in danger of potentially new diseases if left unchecked. 

                                                                                References 

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/cloning/cloningrisks/ 

http://www.endanimalcloning.org/animalwelfare.shtml 

ENG101 Blog #7 The Meatrix Reflections

 What do you get when you mix Eric Schlossers Fast Food Nation, and The Wachowski brother's The Matrix Trilogy? You get GRACE’s communications The Meatrix Series. The Meatrix series is a small web series that uses the matrix trilogy as a guide line to utilize the concepts to explain agricultural issues and facts that go on with in the Industrial Agricultural factories ,as well as their treatment to animals, workers and society alike. The Meatrix series delves in disturbing topics of industrial farms with a sugar coated cover, that hold very disturbing, educational and truthful topics that ,just like the matrix films (which was a philosophical/psychological/sociological film disguised as an action film) approaches agricultural issues in the same manner.
 The videos may be a little dated in most aspects, but the theme is relevant. much like the very film series that it parodies, it too has its own fair share of social awareness and current societal problems that still consist in the present, such as animal cruelty, dangerous work environments for workers, dangerous medical drugs that are inserted into animals, pollution of the environment and questions of ethical/moral values that are continuing to rise as time progresses. Since its conception ,(circa 2003), society had become more aware and cautious of the foods that they purchase, making sure to pick the healthier foods and not the potentially hazardous and contaminated foods.
  These issues cannot be ignored, because the repercussions that follow suit will result in the down fall of agricultural as well as ourselves. I feel that animals should be cared for more in Pasture based farms than in Corporate farms, because despite the vicious cycle, animals contribute to a large part of our well being and living. The moment we wipe out all of the natural resources, we would only end up consuming our selves. Which would lead to attempts at cloning, which already causes major ethical conflicts such as robbing a life before it could even live or find their own identity. Much of sci fi ironically has come to life, and if there is anything that sci fi tends to provide (entertainment aside) are the possible ,dangerous futures that are warning signs for us as society ,should avoid.
  The better we take care of animals, where they can still have a healthy living and a decent life, where they aren't slaughtered ruthlessly, then the better that the food will be. The better that the food is produced, the better the living conditions. The better the living conditions, the better defense which will be built to prevent dangerous fossil fuels/greenhouse gasses. All in a nutshell of a ripple effect, would help produce a more fruitful future which would help at least decrease the climate problems that go on with in our ecosystem. If we take care of animals better, with these positive alternatives, the lack of wastes would be produce. This would lead to a greener future, and quite possibly a Positive, Alternative path that could divert the vicious cycle in society. all while giving farmers and people jobs and food to be provided.

For more info on the issues ,or if you ,the reader want to watch the videos and educate yourself go to:

http://www.themeatrix.com

from there you can watch the videos and learn more about the issues that are explored there.-A.A.J