Clones?

While reading Never Let Me Go, I didn't have any thoughts about cloning being a negative thing. It seems to work well in the novel, and I'm not for harvesting the organs of cloned children but throughout the story, clones seem pretty useful. After reading the articles on cloning, I began to imagine what it would actually be like to have clones in the real world. In novels, it's easy to read about how effortlessly they meld with the world around them but in real life, there are a lot more possibilities to take into consideration. 

I have decided I'm against cloning. As one of the articles points out, we wouldn't really need to cherish and take good care of our environment because we could reproduce whatever animals die out. While we may not lose the creatures on earth, our actual planet would still suffer and it would be easier than ever to ignore it. Cloning would also make evolution virtually impossible because negative traits would no longer die out and would just be continually reintroduced to the gene pool. We would all suffer more than we would benefit. 

My Cold Moment

I feel like since we are all so different from each other, we have to go through our own "cold moments" and recognize our individuality and what sets us apart. If I had to pinpoint a cold moment in my life, it would probably feel pretty similar to Kathy's. The first thing that comes to mind is when I was going through chemotherapy, and the toll it was taking on me was really starting to show. At this point, I was still feeling pretty normal and hadn't really processed what I was going through, but had been avoiding mirrors because I wasn't comfortable looking at a reflection that looked nothing like me. So, even though I was aware that I looked different, I often forgot when I went in public and didn't remember until I tried to run my fingers through hair that wasn't there. 

When I looked around me, I began to see people staring at me. Instead of quickly glancing over as they walked past, they would take double-takes and stare, either in pity or confusion. Eventually I got somewhat used to this new kind of attention, but it never stopped bothering me. I would be especially upset if I was having a good day and wasn't thinking about the hospital or my treatment, only to then catch a pitying glance and remember what I was going through. People didn't mean to be rude by staring at me, but when you look different, it's hard to avoid. It's especially difficult when your appearance triggers emotional responses, and people can't help but notice your bald head and emaciated body, not only feeling pity but also possibly reminded of a loved one of their own who was/is sick.