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Our Life’s Performance – A Genetic Review – Genetically Wrapped
The results are in. Our personal genetic assessment comes back to us – to what extent have we enhanced our evolutionary well-being. It doesn’t always make for the best of reading. In fact, it can be rather like reliving those school reports we received as a child – could do better; if he applied himself…
Humanity’s Mistaken Persuasion – Genetically Wrapped
Humanity has such belief in our own self-importance. We like to think of ourselves as being centre stage – life revolves around us. We are Nature's superior beings – the masters, the leaders, the controllers of this world. But it's a mistaken outlook. Although we may try to be, we are not the main participant…
The Need for Moral Duality – Genetically Wrapped
If our sovereignty is threatened by a foreign country we will do everything we can to protect ourselves. We will fight, kill and even die for our country. External challenges are perceived as a threat to our way of life, as something that has to be guarded against. And yet when it comes to internal…
Pseudogenes – Reliving the Past – Genetically Wrapped
Genetic engineering is often criticised for being a manipulative activity, for involving ourselves in Nature’s ways, for tampering with our humanity despite being unaware or uncertain of the consequences. Yet there may be one area of genetic tinkering that we could pursue which would not necessarily be so questionable, so indeterminate, so risky. That is…
Nature’s Arms Race – Genetically Wrapped
In an environment characterised by change, a species cannot afford to stand still. Genetic lethargy, genetic detachment or genetic derogation risks evolutionary demise. Certainly, in the evolutionary world, nothing good comes out of doing nothing. Evolution is a transitional process. The adoption of individual change drives wider change, environmental change. This spurs further individual change…
Society’s Evolutionary Vulnerability – Genetically Wrapped
Society has an intrinsic flaw, a weakness that generates a perilous vulnerability, something that, ultimately, may well threaten humanity’s existence. And although it may sound rather melodramatic, even scaremongering, by observing societal development we can see that there is an evolutionary logic to it. Society was created as our defensive mechanism to protect us from…
Choosing the Right Partner for Reproductive Success – Genetically Wrapped
Reproduction, the passing on of our genes to another generation, is life’s most important task. As divined by Nature, it is the very purpose of our existence. And yet, all species have limited opportunities for reproduction. An individual has to reach a certain level of maturity; they may have to wait until the environmental conditions…
Genetic Performance and Mutational Opportunity – Genetically Wrapped
When opportunity arises, some people will grasp their chance, many will not believe or trust their luck, whilst others will sit back and let the opportunity pass or have it taken away from them. Fate may deliver new possibilities but whether or not those possibilities prove fruitful will depend on the individual. The same may…
Sci-fi Genetics – Correcting the Vision – Genetically Wrapped
Watching futuristic sci-fi films often proves quite problematic for me. A large proportion of the population always seem to be missing. Where are all the ugly, over-weight, bespectacled, disabled people? They no longer seem to exist. I can only presume that they must have been transferred into some “Wellsian” underworld. But maybe not; maybe there…
Genetic Luck – A Favoured Humanity? – Genetically Wrapped
Right here; right now. What are the odds? So often - too often - we take our existence for granted. It didn’t have to be like this. We didn’t have to be here; we didn’t have to be here in this state of being. Things could have turned out very differently. In Nature there are…
Genetic Intensification – The Drive to Extremes – Genetically Wrapped
If something works then you will persist in doing that something. You may even try to enhance or extend that something. In fact, the more you can do of that something then the better it should be for you. It’s tried and tested. Why would you do anything different? This is not only a natural…
Contracted to Society – Genetically Wrapped
If we want society to support us then we have to support society. That is the basis of our contractual relationship with society. Society will look after us but we must also look after society. Society gives us rights and protections as individuals, support and benefits when we’re in need, a living environment that is…
Sophie’s Choice: A Return to Nature – Genetically Wrapped
In the film Sophie’s Choice, Sophie (played by Meryl Streep) is ordered by a Nazi officer to make the difficult choice as to which of her two children she keeps – one would be gassed to death and one would be sent to a children’s camp. As any parent will testify, it’s an impossible decision…
Evolution – A Game of Chinese Whispers – Genetically Wrapped
If you had to think of an analogy to best describe evolution and the process of natural selection you might well opt for it being akin to a game of Chinese Whispers (or as some people call it - the Telephone Game). This comparison between the two is often made and is even used in…
Human Evolution – Past Success; Future Uncertainty – Genetically Wrapped
Humanity – we’re doing alright. In fact, we’re probably doing better than alright. We’ve been around awhile and, generally, our existence has not been too much in doubt. This is because, over the years, thousands of years, we have put ourselves in a strong evolutionary position. As a species, at some point in our development…
Bagging a Territory to Secure a Mate – Genetically Wrapped
Different animals have different reproductive strategies. The only common characteristic is that each strategy is purposefully designed to secure the best reproductive partner available. By doing this an animal aims to give their off-spring the best genetic prospects. A common reproductive strategy is for the male to acquire a particular territory and then to seek…
Humanity’s Evolutionary Downfall – Genetically Wrapped
The greatest threat to humanity is not nuclear obliteration, environmental catastrophe, meteor strike or a contagious virus. The greatest threat to our survival comes from ourselves and our relentless drive to develop and progress the world we live in. Generally, we perceive progress to be good for us. It means that we live longer, that…
A Genetic Appraisal – Genetically Wrapped
We may not be due our year end, a salary review or our final exams but it should not mean that we are exempt from an appraisal of how we are performing as a species. Are we achieving what we are supposed to be striving for? How well are we doing? How do we compare…
Interfering with Nature – Genetically Wrapped
On its back with its feet in the air, a wood louse was stranded in the middle of my patio. Defenceless and in the open, its future looked bleak. Gallantly, I came to the rescue. I turned it over. But, more than that, I moved it to a less exposed part of the garden where…
Mobility … Our Genetic Path to Development – Genetically Wrapped
Development – whether that is industrial, technological, economic or social – has expanded exponentially over the last couple of hundred years. This sudden upsurge contrasts with the slow, steady and incremental progress that had for many generations preceded it. Why has that suddenly happened? What triggered it? What sustains it? How long will it continue…
Marriage – For Better or Worse – Genetically Wrapped
The idea that marriage is purely a formal, public pledge of love, devotion and commitment is to misunderstand the historical and genealogical purpose of this ceremonial bond. We should abandon any romantic notions we might have, and, instead, recognise marriage for what it really is - a managerial, controlling practice. In our early existence, male…
Genetic Banking – Genetically Wrapped
Once a life is lived, its genetic outcome is spent. If a species has not taken advantage of the genetic opportunities presented to it, then that is a wasteful loss of potential. In a relentless battle for survival, to miss out on a resource that could prove beneficial might be considered as both negligent and…
Genetic Engineering: Essential and Inevitable – Genetically Wrapped
One thing that is apparent from our longer lifespans is that, as we age, the human form is prone to many genetically driven debilitating conditions. In other words, the longer we live the more likely we are to succumb to some genetically prescribed condition, notably cancers and degenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer’s. Similarly, throughout our…
Genetic Dystopia – Genetically Wrapped
All too often we will admire Nature for the beauty it produces, for the complexities it displays and for the variation it generates; but Nature also represents a cruel world. It’s a harsh reality – a dystopian state. If you are to ask what a dystopian world would look like, you would quite likely point…