• WoodScientist@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    12
    ·
    5 days ago

    Yeah, that’s the kind of persistent vegetative state you don’t want to wake up from.

    But really this kind of abuse of people in these states goes way beyond pregnancy. If we’re willing to do this to women, why not keep vegetative patients of both sexes alive for years as continuous blood donors? I could easily see someone justifying that, especially if the victim has a rare or that universal donor blood type.

    Or how about organ donation? We do currently take organs from deceased donors, but usually it’s a one time deal. When it comes time, if the person is a willing donor, you pull the plug, and then harvest whatever organs you can that you have a recipient for at the moment. But you could make that a lot more efficient if you could keep the donor alive for a long time, perhaps years. Just keep them alive, waiting for someone in need. Someone needs the first kidney? Give it to them. Someone needs a second kidney? Give it to them and put the donor on permanent dialysis. Someone needs a hear or lung? Take the donor’s and keep them going via artificial means. Or maybe we could take skin graft after skin graft, growing new skin again and again. Treat them like sheep being shorn. It’s the difference between having to use a butchered animal up all at once vs being able to freeze most of it for later. Hospitals could have whole wards of these donors caught for years in a state of half-disassembled living death.

    This is an ethical Pandora’s box we REALLY do not want to open.

    • Machinist@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      4 days ago

      I’m cool with anencephalic humans/clones, with or without genetic engineering to reduce rejection, being used for spare parts.

        • Machinist@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          3 days ago

          I have not. Looks like it’s YA, which I tend to steer away from. Is it full of tropes and oversimplification like Divergent or Mockingjay stuff, or is it better than that?

          • Sanctus@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            3 days ago

            I mean its alright it just covers this topic exactly while also not showing it integrated into society at large too well.