Men who no longer stare at goats

Now want to put a rootkit/drm on DNA

bacteria1

According to Wired etc

“Darpa is investing $6 million into a project called BioDesign, with the goal of eliminating “the randomness of natural evolutionary advancement.” The plan would assemble the latest bio-tech knowledge to come up with living, breathing creatures that are genetically engineered to “produce the intended biological effect.” Darpa wants the organisms to be fortified with molecules that bolster cell resistance to death, so that the lab-monsters can “ultimately be programmed to live indefinitely.”

Of course, Darpa’s got to prevent the super-species from being swayed to do enemy work — so they’ll encode loyalty right into DNA, by developing genetically programmed locks to create “tamper proof” cells. Plus, the synthetic organism will be traceable, using some kind of DNA manipulation, “similar to a serial number on a handgun.” And if that doesn’t work, don’t worry. In case Darpa’s plan somehow goes horribly awry, they’re also tossing in a last-resort, genetically-coded kill switch:

Jesus Jumping H Jehosephat. I mean what could possibly go wrong?

Mind you – $6 million is bugger all. That’s how much Steve Austin cost back in the 70s, and although he could run really fast and do fast things with one arm… well… I doubt that you’d get $6 Million for him today.

No – the worrying thing about this is more to do with the fact that the people that we pay to act in our interests are fucking INSANE enough to think that

a) DRM is a good idea
b) DRM works
c) DRMed biotech weapons might be a good idea
d) DRMed biotech weapons wont lead to some sort of biotech weapons arms race which is even less controllable than the nuke one.
e) So we should make some and find out.
f) because this is somehow “defence”

And a kill switch? Isn’t that what Baron von Harkonnen had in his slaves? Fuck that. At least staring at goats was relatively harmless… I hear some of the goats actually quite enjoyed it.


3 Comments » for Men who no longer stare at goats
  1. Guillermo says:

    This is a terrible, terrible idea.
    Let me say that again, in slow-mo this time, _t e r r i b l e i d e a_.

    Fortunately, it won’t work.

  2. Shannon says:

    Wow. Maybe we need to start making a selection of speculative fiction required reading for our lawmakers. Yes, it’s fiction, but it at least might help train them in the ability to see the potential for horrible consequences in ideas like this one.

  3. Marshal says:

    I don’t know if you have hear about Metal Gear? It’s a game from PS3. I recently played the 4 part of the Saga; and this idea is practically what happens in the game. Modified DNA or nanomachines built to control people.

    Let me say if we compare…were definitely going on the wrong way. In the game, the humans are forced to create a world with never-ending war; without being able to change. This creeps me out.

    I know is just a game, but how knows?