[extropy-chat] Copycat Copycat

[Olga Bourlin]

From: "Samantha Atkins" <sjatkins at mac.com>

> I don't see anything about this that I consider at all revolting.  What
> do you find so?

1.  Literally treating pets like members of the family (I only alluded
to this in another post yesterday - it hasn't anything to do directly with
the Copycat article) is nuts, and I consider people whose main focus in life
is their
pet(s) a bit coo coo.  Whether they have money:

http://corporate.americangreetings.com/topstories/summerpatriotic02.html

... or whether they're not-so-rich (has anyone here seen this movie?):

http://www.ebertfest.com/six/gates_of_heaven_review.htm

2.  And assuaging one's sense of loss by spending $50,000 to clone one's pet
is something I consider even more revolting than spending $50 on Poochie's
manicure - but, again, I did admit there could be some positive unintended
consequences to be gained here for the science of cloning.

Of course, I agree that people can do whatever they want with their money.
But in the Marketplace of Ideas, I still like to get up on my "moralistic"
soapbox from time to time ... (as well as listen to others with *their*
ideas).

Olga