WE ARE CYBORG

oops... sorry about that last post! Apparently I hit a wrong button. Anyway, on with the blog. Until this assignment I really hadn't given much thought to "cyborgs" or anything related to the idea. I had always thought of it as something that science fiction fans "geeked" out about (specifically my brother). After reading the "A Cyborg Manifesto" I did and internet search and found that what can be considered a "cyborg" goes much further than just an imaginary human that was taken over by the "borgs" and assimilated into thier army (I find it unforuntate that I remember that much from Star trek). In fact, I found a broad definition that basically stated that any organism that has been changed by technology can be considered a "cyborg." That means all of you out there that have had your childhood vaccinations or flu shots could be considered a "cyborg" (or at least genetically engineered). Scary! Prehaps we have already have been assimilated and we are no longer in control of what we thought we were in control of.

Looking at more obvious "Cyborgs" in modern culture, the story of the "Blade Runner," there are simliarities to thier current struggles and those of women in the past, specifically in sports. For those of you who don't know, the "Blade runner" is a South African Man who had both legs removed from the knee down when he was a child. He recently wanted to try out for the olympics, but was told that he had an unfair advantage because of his limbs. SO having no legs is apparently an advantage when running. However, this isn't that all that different from when women first tried to compete in major sporting events; the first woman to ever enter the Boston Marathon was told that it would affect her chances of having children and that she would never get a hudband because who would ever marry a woman who wore sweats? Maybe men are just afraid of being beaten by women and the disabled? In the case of the "Blade runner," I think we should celebrate! Science and technology has managed to reduce the limitations imposed on people with diablilities! Why should they be hindered? I say let the man run! If we are all cyborgs already then there is no excuse to exclude one who has been altered a little more noticeably by technology than the rest of us.