5.5. Epilogue: Tinkering with Ourselves

It's easy to wonder whether the more extreme visions of a genetically engineered society are mere shock tactics to encourage the sale of books, or instead the best indication we have of a deep cultural current whose drift is so far recognized only by a few. But without doubt the holders of these visions claim to descry something deep and significant, reaching all the way to the roots of our own identity. It seems foolish not to take at least occasional note of their words.

With that in mind, I offer here a brief collection of extreme visions, followed by my own attempt to relate them to Martha Beck's story. (The quotations were gathered by Richard Hayes, an environmental activist and doctoral candidate in Energy and Resources at the University of California, Berkeley. They appeared along with an interview of Hayes in the Summer, 1999 issue of Wild Duck Review.)