The following video shows a segment from a German TV program produced by Die Welt. In it the hostess consults an expert on the augmentation of the human body through the use of implants and other means of enhancing the body’s functioning.
It’s chilling to hear the matter-of-fact discussion of the inevitability of altering the body — and even the brain — through the use of hi-tech devices. It’s simply assumed that these are things that will just happen, and people will eventually grow to accept them. And, given the relentless push for such enhancements in both traditional and social media, they probably will happen. The COVID-19 hysteria has proved how effective relentless social pressure can be.
Notice the banality of the applied uses of these dazzling technical advances: orderlies in nursing homes will be able to move bedridden patients around more easily, and householders will be able to detect whether they left the oven on. Oh, yes, we must definitely have those exo-suits and brain implants!
Color me skeptical, but I think far more sinister applications of the new technology are likely. Just think what the Thought Police will be able to accomplish with some of these implanted gizmos…
Many thanks to MissPiggy for the translation, and to Vlad Tepes and RAIR Foundation for the subtitling:
Video transcript:
| 00:04 | Welt-Health | |
| 00:08 | Hello, and welcome to a new edition of Welt-Health. | |
| 00:12 | Our topic today is Human Upgrades. | |
| 00:16 | The research and the advancements imaginable in this area are comparable | |
| 00:20 | to the human will to establish colonies on the moon. | |
| 00:24 | Not long after reaching the moon and leaving footprints there, | |
| 00:29 | humanity wanted to make it possible to live there. | |
| 00:33 | Similarly in the genetic field: even though so much research has already been done, | |
| 00:37 | not everything has been achieved yet. The desire remains to manipulate biology | |
| 00:41 | and change human genetics. However, despite advances, the aging process can’t be stopped | |
| 00:47 | or reversed. Today we’ll discuss with Prof. Hendrik Streeck what’s already possible and what isn’t. | |
| 00:53 | He’s here with us from the University Clinic in Bonn. Hello, Hendrik. Glad you could be | |
| 00:56 | with us again. Hello, Franke, always a pleasure. —As I was just saying, manipulating biology, | |
| 01:03 | please explain to us what the bottom line is on Human Upgrades. | |
| 01:09 | Well, who hasn’t thought about having better cognitive abilities? To be able to think faster, | |
| 01:17 | or improve performance. There are actually three different types of Human Upgrades. | |
| 01:23 | Being chemically upgraded with medication. Through technology, by having an implant | |
| 01:30 | or something attached to the body. | |
| 01:35 | Lastly, DNA manipulation, by editing things out or in, | |
| 01:40 | already before birth, and having a child, a baby with an upgrade. | |
| 01:47 | That still all sounds very complex and somewhat futuristic, | |
| 01:53 | but what parts of the human body | |
| 02:01 | would we be able to upgrade? —There’s actually not limited to fantasy. | |
| 02:10 | This is due to gene editing, which is called CRISPR technology. This enables the manipulation | |
| 02:18 | of DNA in embryos. Anything is possible. | |
| 02:22 | Children could be created that are immune to certain viruses. | |
| 02:27 | Or they could be even made more resistant to the cold by placing genes from salmon in their DNA. | |
| 02:36 | There are no limits to the imagination. Anything goes. However, Human Upgrades using technology | |
| 02:41 | is a different story for now, but so much research is being done. Lastly, | |
| 02:49 | there are chemical upgrades. Something like doping for the brain. | |
| 02:54 | So one of the methods you mentioned, the manipulation of the human body by genetic editing, | |
| 03:00 | everything you said is already medically possible, but it begs the question: | |
| 03:07 | is that a realistic vision for the future? If we have a look around in our own circle of friends, | |
| 03:12 | I don’t have any friends running around with a microchip, opening doors with their chip. | |
| 03:20 | It all sounds a little too much like science fiction. —Yes, it’s possible to develop such chips | |
| 03:29 | and you can even pay now with your wrist. The question is, do we really want that? | |
| 03:35 | Do we really want our information detected everywhere? The boundaries are slowly disappearing | |
| 03:41 | concerning what we can do. You are familiar with ADHS, the fidgety child syndrome, | |
| 03:49 | for which children are prescribed Ritalin for better concentration. | |
| 03:53 | Currently it is being prescribed more frequently, which is a concerning development. | |
| 04:00 | Ritalin is used to improve performance, | |
| 04:03 | helping children to think more quickly and have better concentration. | |
| 04:07 | Research still needs to be done in many areas, but the possibilities are already available. | |
| 04:13 | This is also being researched. —That’s a fitting catchword, because we need to be honest | |
| 04:19 | with our own species, Homo sapiens, and provide information about what is available or possible, | |
| 04:24 | because it will be implemented sooner or later. The question is: Where is the red line | |
| 04:31 | between a therapy and the optimization craze — | |
| 04:34 | the addiction to the search for eternal life and augmentation? | |
| 04:37 | We have a report from Johannes Feld on the current status in the area of technology | |
| 04:41 | that includes evolutionary manipulation. | |
| 04:46 | See better, hear better and feel more? Polls reveal 90% of the German population | |
| 04:52 | would be willing to augment their bodies, if they had the chance. | |
| 04:55 | Human Enhancement makes it possible. | |
| 04:58 | Improvement in all areas of performance of the human body. Some have already started | |
| 05:03 | by having chips implanted, replacing the need for a train ticket or apartment door key. | |
| 05:08 | Some have even gone one step beyond. The British color artist | |
| 05:11 | Neal Harbisson had a camera implanted in his skull. | |
| 05:14 | The implant allows him to feel and hear colors as audible vibrations inside his head, | |
| 05:17 | which earned him the title of the world’s first legally recognized cyborg. | |
| 05:23 | Not all Human Enhancement has to be integrated into the body. For example, the forerunner project | |
| 05:27 | known as Google glasses, is designed to simplify work process | |
| 05:32 | and help people with disabilities in their daily routines. | |
| 05:36 | Human Enhancement can be implemented very early in life. | |
| 05:39 | Besides immediate physical and mental improvements, | |
| 05:42 | there is also the possibility of enhancing bodily function via reproduction | |
| 05:46 | with preimplantation genetic diagnosis. A very prominent example of this | |
| 05:50 | was presented by a research team at the Chinese Shenzhen University. | |
| 05:54 | In 2018, they claimed that HIV resistant twins were born | |
| 05:58 | that had undergone CRISPR-based gene editing as embryos. | |
| 06:03 | The international outcry at the time was immense, | |
| 06:07 | because such manipulation of human DNA is ethically disputed. | |
| 06:11 | The ethical discussion regarding human enhancements is always a hot topic, | |
| 06:15 | especially where safety and responsible use of technology is concerned. | |
| 06:26 | We just heard the catchphrase: Manipulation. | |
| 06:30 | When we speaking about manipulating our biology and our evolution. The question arises, | |
| 06:34 | as you mentioned before: what are the ethical aspects? | |
| 06:37 | What kind of debates are there concerning this? | |
| 06:40 | Well, since the possibilities are endless, the question would be: should it be done at all? | |
| 06:47 | As we just saw in the report, babies were born missing the HIV receptor. | |
| 06:55 | It’s important to consider that these changes are passed on to offspring. | |
| 07:00 | In that way, it really is manipulating our own evolution. | |
| 07:05 | On the other hand, we would have the ability to hinder severe disease in children, | |
| 07:10 | for example, cystic fibrosis. In that case, gene editing would be… | |
| 07:17 | Could you explain what exactly that is? Because I don’t know. | |
| 07:21 | It’s a severe genetic disease in which certain tubes in the lungs | |
| 07:27 | that normally make mucus more fluid don’t function properly. | |
| 07:32 | This causes breathing difficulties and can be deadly. | |
| 07:37 | However, with gene editing this could be corrected. | |
| 07:43 | There will be boundaries, though, and the question is where should these boundaries be drawn? | |
| 07:48 | We also have the preimplantation genetic diagnosis in Germany. The genetic make up of a child | |
| 07:52 | is examined before birth to see if there are any defects. However, in the U.S. or in Israel, | |
| 07:58 | it isn’t allowed to determine whether a child will be male or female in order to make a selection. | |
| 08:02 | This could be taken even further, by selecting a child with blue eyes | |
| 08:07 | or with brown eyes. Or even a child with thick hair. | |
| 08:12 | The list could go on forever, so it is important to have very clear ethical boundaries. | |
| 08:18 | Germany has an Ethics Counsel, and at least since the Corona pandemic most people know about it. | |
| 08:23 | My question is: where do you see dangers or risks? At what point are we in this debate? | |
| 08:28 | How does German society view this topic? Or the scientific community in Germany? | |
| 08:33 | In what circumstances would you say the risks are too great? | |
| 08:38 | When should we distance ourselves from such technologies or research? —I think each individual | |
| 08:42 | circumstance should be discussed, and that’s why we have an Ethics Counsel to ask these questions. | |
| 08:48 | The topic is far too broad to draw the line clearly. Especially since there are advantages | |
| 08:56 | when action is taken against certain diseases early enough. | |
| 09:00 | We’ve spoken about the risks, but we need to discuss the different areas where Human Upgrades | |
| 09:06 | could be implemented. There are differences between external upgrades | |
| 09:12 | and upgrades inside the body. | |
| 09:16 | So far we’ve been talking about genetic changes, | |
| 09:21 | but technological upgrades are also possible. | |
| 09:26 | Most people already have a fitness monitor on their wrist to improve themselves. | |
| 09:32 | And perhaps you’ve heard about Google glass? | |
| 09:39 | When these glasses are worn, information is displayed for the eye of the wearer. | |
| 09:46 | For example, facial recognition is possible. | |
| 09:50 | Or to be able to quickly read information about a certain object. | |
| 09:54 | How would it be if it was directly implanted inside the eye? | |
| 09:59 | Perhaps there would even be the option to see in the infrared spectrum. You could see if the oven | |
| 10:06 | is on or off and if there is an intruder in your home. You could even see electromagnetic waves, | |
| 10:12 | which would make it easier to find your cell phone. Research is already being done in this area. | |
| 10:17 | Implants would be inserted directly in the brain. | |
| 10:21 | These could download information directly into the brain overnight. | |
| 10:25 | Another option which is already very advanced in research is the exo-suit. | |
| 10:32 | This suit assists in carrying and lifting items, which would be helpful in care homes. | |
| 10:40 | It could help caregivers carry patients or place them | |
| 10:44 | in a different bed by giving them more strength. | |
| 10:47 | This could also be advantageous for soldiers. | |
| 10:51 | After viewing these three different possibilities, clearly they are all very different. | |
| 10:54 | Especially concerning augmenting cognitive function, | |
| 10:58 | how accepting is German society about such methods? | |
| 11:03 | It’s actually quite surprising, but every second person | |
| 11:08 | that was asked considers Human Upgrades acceptable. | |
| 11:13 | Above all when it concerns employment. As we were just discussing, | |
| 11:17 | assistance with carrying heavy objects. | |
| 11:21 | When only purely cosmetic changes are concerned, | |
| 11:25 | or to gain some advantage, society is more skeptical. | |
| 11:29 | In that case, only one third would consider getting themselves upgraded. | |
| 11:34 | So, for implanting something directly in the brain, | |
| 11:37 | Germans won’t be queuing up to get one tomorrow? —No. | |
| 11:41 | That doesn’t seem to be the case, but we aren’t that advanced yet with the technology, either. | |
| 11:46 | Germany seems to be lagging on the technological front, but that’s besides the point. | |
| 11:50 | Let’s discuss bio-hacks, because it’s an important term. There’s a difference between | |
| 11:54 | a Human Upgrade and a bio-hack. As you mentioned, cosmetic changes or small improvements. | |
| 12:02 | If I go to bed before midnight, is that a bio-hack? | |
| 12:07 | Will I live longer and be more beautiful by doing that? | |
| 12:12 | Please tell us more about that. | |
| 12:15 | At this point many of us have apps, health apps or a fitness monitor. | |
| 12:19 | Or we have an Apple Watch with which we try to optimize our lives. | |
| 12:25 | Part of the self-optimizing includes more sleep, which leads us to having healthier lives. | |
| 12:33 | Sleep is very important and most people don’t sleep enough. | |
| 12:38 | This has an influence on our quality of life. | |
| 12:42 | Will I still be made fun of when I say after ten hours of sleep I feel great? | |
| 12:45 | Lots of people laugh when I say that, but it doesn’t seem so wrong after all. | |
| 12:50 | Here’s another myth, or is it true: Does eating vegan make you more fit? | |
| 12:55 | Will I live longer? Or is that all just a marketing trick? Or wishful thinking? | |
| 13:00 | The studies are very divided on that topic, but it’s important to remember, vegetarians or vegans | |
| 13:08 | basically eat more healthily than other people. | |
| 13:12 | We know that red meat can cause cancer and cardiovascular disease. | |
| 13:17 | However, what the data reveals is that the healthier lifestyle | |
| 13:23 | helps vegetarians to die healthier, but they don’t live longer. | |
| 13:30 | OK, what about milk and eggs? Healthy or unhealthy? —Well, of course, | |
| 13:35 | proteins, in the right amount, are always healthy. They can be consumed in a vegan way. | |
| 13:41 | Thank you so much, Hendrik Streeck, for your visit today to our studio. We’ve learned so much. | |
| 13:45 | Now we understand that human manipulation is controversial. However, small bio-hacks | |
| 13:51 | such as going to bed earlier can help. Dear viewers, | |
| 13:55 | we’ll leave you with an Alphaville song, “Forever Young”, | |
| 14:00 | and ask you to consider how you would allow yourself to be optimized, or maybe not at all. | |
| 14:05 | Consider whether chasing after immortality is really worth it. Until next time. Bye-bye. |
I think Yuval Noah Harari said it clearly:
They will hack your brain and install software that will erase any wrong thoughts. Or you read them but the software erases it.
Just imagine: You are anti-vaxx. Then you go to bed and while you sleep your brain implant downloads the latest update, courtesy of the government.
And during your sleep your opposition to the vax is erased and you wake up totally pro-vaxx and are angry at yourself that you haven`t gotten the vax.
So off you go to get the vaxx.
And your frineds don`t notice anything because they have had the same upgrade installed and forget you were ever against the vaxx.
Scary, to sound the least.
Reminds me of the movie “Harrison Bergeron”.
When the system goes down from solar flares or a protestors emp, those not enhanced will be on top. I am sure it would be a crime to mess with someone’s brain implant, punishable by receiving a brain implant.
The brave new world is racing toward us at lightning speed…..
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O2RIvJ1U7RE&feature=emb_title
Maybe Elon Musk is right when he says:” Occupy Mars.”
I need a new planet.
…and not the picture of Robby the Robot on Forbidden Planet where “The Krell” became so smart they dreamed up horrible monsters that killed the whole population by the time Dr. Morbius showed up, who then proceeds to kill the people from Earth trying to save him and his daughter. My favorite sci fi film and it’s from the 1950’s.
In the NWO HQ. Red, smoky twilight, soft AI-generated acid jazz in the background. Naked, young, female-bodied cyborgs with four arms dancing around the two old-fashioned humans that are casually sitting at one of those floating tables. The German accent is painfully apparent.
– “OK. It is clear that vee do not need pure humanz any more. But I just cannot fadom why vee should boder even with zose half-human upgrades when 100% robots are much better for our purposez, dear Billy.”
– “I am already working on the Final Solution, Klaus… I am already working on it, bwahaha.”
The true reason they go “transhumanism” on us is, IMHO, that the “technology” to create life is not on Earth anymore (i.e. access to the tree of life is forbidden), and they know it, and that’s why they try to reach “immortality” by other means – i.e. “earth made technology”. And they will succeed, one day, only it will not be the kind of “blessed immortality” that they hope it would be…
Revelation 9:6
“And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.”
One of the best sci fi movies ever.
Indeed; got an Oscar for special effects. And starred Leslie Nielsen, as commander of the spaceship, decades before “Police Squad”and “The Naked Gun”!
Probably didn’t hurt that the plot is based on Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”.
What’s the qualitative difference between this stuff and knee replacement or hip replacement surgery?
Why draw the line at one specific point and not another?