Help with a concept.

Scott WRG Editor · Aug 12, 2004

Fictional place, fictional time...

You get a draft notice that you have to report for military service. Military service is required for advanced citizenship and brings with it significant bennefits. When you report to the draft center you are given two choices.

1. You can serve in the military, probably in a non-combat support role for 8 years and then you are out with your advanced citizen ship and benefits (free health care, educational programs etc...).

2. They can perform a brain scan and using your DNA, the scan, and siginifcant genetic engineering create a clone of you. Your thoughts and memories and personality are duplicated in the clone though the clone is genetically alterered to fit a combat role. At the end of the scan and sampling you are released having completed your service requirments in a day. But you are not granted advanced citizenship and do not have the associated benefits.

Which would you choose? And you have to choose one, there are no other options.

I am interested in your thoughts and opinions on this concept, both negative and positive.

Would you mind have a clone of yourself?
Would it bother you to know that "YOU" are out there fighting and dying?

Any other issues?

I am working on a book and I would like to get opinions from outside my mindset on the ramifications of this type of program.

Osmer_Toby · Aug 12, 2004

that would be like selling my soul. i love me, and would never send me anywhere i wouldnt go myself.

Scott WRG Editor · Aug 12, 2004

Osmer_Toby said:
that would be like selling my soul. i love me, and would never send me anywhere i wouldnt go myself.

Thanks Toby, thats what I'm looking for. So you would go into the military for 8 years to avoid have a clone of yourself be sent into combat?

Osmer_Toby · Aug 12, 2004

yes i would.

Corry · Aug 12, 2004

Yup, I was kinda thinking the same thing at Tobes. I couldn't let them clone me.

Osmer_Toby · Aug 12, 2004

oh, i don't mind the cloning part. but a clone of me would be very much like having a son. i would not send my son to war in my stead.

Karalee · Aug 12, 2004

I look at it as having a twin - and if I know I dont want to go into full on combat myself, I wouldnt send my twin or clone to do the same thing.

photogoddess · Aug 12, 2004

8 years for sure! I wouldn't care much about the cloning except for the memory thing. That's too much like chipping a piece of my soul off and having it "out there". Besides, even if one was willing to do so, there doesn't seem to be any incentive to do it. Kind of like "I came here and got cloned and all I got was this lousy t-shirt".

Walt · Aug 12, 2004

Interesting question. I would, however, pick #2. The lure of "probably in a non-combat support role" doesn't insure that it wouldn't happen. Given the current climate in the world, a lot of people have ended up in wars, and died, after signing up for reserve positions thinking the likelyhood of actually fighting was slim. Also the reasons for some of these encounters have been, shall we say suspect at best.
While I don't agree with cloning a person, in this senario I view it strictly as a cellular transaction. Plus if they were altering my genetic information for service then it's not the same person.
There are moral issues with both choices. #2 is the lesser of the two evils.

danalec99 · Aug 12, 2004

I'll go for #1.
And that has got nothing to do with the perks.

Like most of others here, I just wouldn't want someone to mess with my brain. Its me! I would not want to sell my soul.

Scott WRG Editor · Aug 12, 2004

Walt said:
The lure of "probably in a non-combat support role" doesn't insure that it wouldn't happen.

and that is one of the points, 8 years is a long time in the military. Between training accidents and incidental combat losses you are running a risk at being maimed or dying. With option #2 you have no physical risks but have a moral/psychological one.

I'm finding these answers fascinationg, keep em coming.

terri · Aug 12, 2004

There's no way I'd approve of a Terri-clone, under any circumstances, much less one to go be the "combat-ready Terri" clone.

What if my clone got through my military stint unscathed, and heard these rumors of clones, and went hunting for me? :shock: And found me stateside, lounging, safe at home all this time?

Why....there have been many times I've felt like kicking my own ass, but enough already. :crazy: