In the near future, reaching majority
(age 21) will occasion a cloning. You may then keep your clone in a spare
bedroom or an attic, to insure a convenient source of spare organs, tissues,
blood, etc for medical procedures as you age. These organs will be perfect for
you – you will not reject them. Once you use a vital organ, the clone (and its
un-harvested organs) will be kept on life support.
 |
|
Stephen Rowe at 45 on the right and 60
on the left
|
Turning 50 will occasion a second
cloning; when you turn 71 (and your newest clone is 21), your head will be
transplanted onto the younger body, and a third clone will be created for spare
parts as your second body ages; and so on.
This will certainly transpire, at least for
the wealthy, who will argue that they have a natural right to use their own DNA
to for medical purposes. Those with sufficient means may be more likely keep
their clones in certified medical facilities rather than at home, at least at
first.
Ultimately, civil law will accord clones
an official (if inferior) status, and they will be grown for both medical and recreational
purposes.
I actually wrote this in 1997, when the photo was taken, but didn't possess the technical ability to manipulate the graphic, or the more aged face, until recently.
(watch for the period between Rowe and OriGraphics)
