Go Fuck Yourself - Human Cloning

[Akito01]

This is an idea I've been vaguely banging around for ages, but can't work into a proper narrative. Well, with a bit of work, I probably could, but I'd be curious what, if any feedback, this kind of story would generate. This basically is the rough outline of what I'd had in mind, in a fairly loose form.

This would be set in some near future setting, where human cloning has gone from controversial cutting edge science to a mandatory university genetics project for anyone taking bio-engineering.

Our male student lead, while not unattractive or vile, is single and socially awkward. But, now with a copy of himself, he can share his apartment and have someone to talk to on a day to day basis -himself. The ideal roommate, one would think, but for one thing -masturbation. Always a problem with any shared living space arrangement. And of course, they are both horny youths with high libidos and a not-very-well-hidden stash of porn. But, after a matter of days, once the tension has built up enough, they come to the conclusion they shouldn't really be embarrassed -if you can't be comfortable with yourself, who can you be comfortable with?

In the course of this, they also realize something else. Why not, well, help each other out, so to speak? Isn't it pretty much every mans secret dream to be able to suck one's own penis? Well, between the pornography and their mutual state of arousal (and perhaps a beer or two), they make the brave and somewhat shocking decision to perform fellatio on each other. At least you can be sure your secret is safe with yourself.

Then, after the embarrassement of the aftermath, they agree it would have been better if he'd created a female clone instead. At the same moment, they realize this is exactly what they should do -a very minor genetic manipulation to change gender( the ol XX-XY thing). It would be outside the bounds to create yet another clone, but they decide the results would be worth the risk.

The created female clone is attractive, and that first night, our two lovers share a torrid night in bed. But, the male clone is left out the door, much to his disappointment.

Now come the frayed ends of the potential story plotlines...

Our first clone, the male one, probably isn't that happy to be left out, at least for that first night. He might pursue other interests, or even go a daring step in creating a female clone of himself -with unfortunate results, since creating a clone of a clone will likely cause recessive genetic defects of some kind.

Our student, living on a limited budget, now has these two other mouths to feed. And isn't this place getting a bit crowded? Sharing one bathroom must be a nightmare if everyone has to go at the same time.

Our female clone probably isn't happy to be stuck with these two guys, treated like a sex toy. A clone she may be, but she does have a mind of her own after all, and is probably keen to explore the world outside the four walls of their apartment. So, where does this leave our original student? Back to square one? Taking care of an invalid clone-daughter that his original clone decided to make without his knowledge or consent?

The actual process of cloning itself as, for the most part, ceased to be science fiction, but the obvious problem here is dealing with the instant creation of adult clones -and clones that share at least some of his memories and thoughts. Not something that can easily be addressed in any psudo-scientific vein. I suppose, worse comes to worse, I can take a similiar cop-out I used in my Child Of The Klein Bottle story.

 

[penguindance]

 

[MrFrost]

guess that would be an very intresting story

 

[Axeltheswede]

Human cloning

Seems like your story needs more of a Xerox copy than a clone, as we understand the process now. You need a character duplicate with all the attitudes and sensibilities of the original.

I think that is what they used in that Michael Keaton movie, Multiplicity. You could use whatever device they used in the movie to get your duplicate person.

 

[Quasimodem]

I don't think that cloning produces an exactly similar adult copy of the person cloned, but rather an absolutely identical physical copy of the original as an infant. It then grows up in a different time, with different ‘parents', different influences and different societal pressures.

I agree with Axetheswede - what you are thinking about is a Xerox copy (as in Multiplicity) or a ‘replicant' (as in BladeRunner) Some fuzzy science fiction concept for a form of quasi-cloning - or genetic engineering - that would function in the fashion your student wanted.

Unless absolutely necessary, I would make this a course requirement, rather than a covert project of the student. Too unbelievable that he could do it all, without discovery, anyway else.

Still, since the psyche is not necessarily duplicated, they may not think alike; or not quite alike.

Your student may have struck upon the fellatio idea while the ‘replicant' was still in the formation process. When approached, especially if mishandled, the ‘replicant' could take this ‘forgone conclusion' and accept it not as ‘every man's secret desire' but as a homosexual come on.

Since your ‘student' has not gone in that direction, despite little success with women - especially since he can only approve of fellatio with his ‘replicant' - might he not carry within him some homophobic prejudices? May not his ‘replicant' also react that way -independently, no need to call upon cloned prejudices? After all, what would be your reaction, unless you already are a practising homosexual, to an offer of mutual fellatio? The ‘replicant' has had no time to develop any practises. This would be a shot out of the blue!

Finally, what if the ‘replicant' is not awkward with the opposite sex? Imagine the frustration of the student, watching an ‘exact' copy of himself becoming popular with the female students. No excuses about why they did not like him. It must be his personality. He is in the position of a twin who finds her/his alternate successful while s/he is a failures

Perhaps, the student would try to ‘pass' for his ‘replicant'. If he succeeded, what might he not learn about himself from the people he is hoaxing? Or, what if he can't fool them? What if they recognize the difference between the two physically identical beings?

This may not be what you were dreaming about, at all. Feel free to ignore any or all of this. Alternately, if you find any of this musing helpful, feel free to make use of it.

Let us know, when you have your story posted.

Quasi.

 

[Akito01]

Very often I think up a story idea that I never really get into developing into a full story. I thought this might be one of them, but I did finally decide to do it a few days ago. It will take a while to actually write, but it is underway.

One thing that was very clear once I decided to make this a proper story, was that it was almost impossible to think of in anything other than a satirical way. It is definitely not a story I intend to write with the same straight face I did with my other strange stories like Child Of The Klein Bottle or Yuba's Touch.

' agree with Axetheswede - what you are thinking about is a Xerox copy (as in Multiplicity) or a ‘replicant' (as in BladeRunner) Some fuzzy science fiction concept for a form of quasi-cloning - or genetic engineering - that would function in the fashion your student wanted. '

This is certainly more or less true. Since I'm not writing something in the 'hard science fiction' genre, I feel it's OK to play a bit fast and loose with the facts as it suits my story (and as someone once said, never let the truth get in the way of a great story).
And it is also something of a statement on the notion of cloning to begin with. It is clear the technology is being developed with specific uses in mind -and the idea of creating people for use is somethng that disturbes many people, and rightfully so.

'Unless absolutely necessary, I would make this a course requirement, rather than a covert project of the student. Too unbelievable that he could do it all, without discovery, anyway else. '

This is exactly the approach I'm taking.
Returning to the satrical slant of the story, you might get a smile out of the fact I choose to call this school the Severino Antinori Institute of BioTechnology (perhaps that's a very bad joke, and only meaningful if you've been following the human cloning stories in the news).
There is a bit of subterfuge involved when it comes to the creation of the female clone, but that is explained as well.

I think the whole fellatio thing probably stems from deep seated curiosity in myself. You know, the thing that I always found most un-appealing about the notion of homosexuality has nothing to do with the penis -it's the idea of kissing another guy. Since the sexual experimentation I roughly described isn't a real intimate relationship, I don' t think it would be too outside the bounds -again, assuming I handle it right. It's awkward territory, and I'm still roughing out exactly how to handle it.

'Finally, what if the ‘replicant' is not awkward with the opposite sex? Imagine the frustration of the student, watching an ‘exact' copy of himself becoming popular with the female students. No excuses about why they did not like him. It must be his personality. He is in the position of a twin who finds her/his alternate successful while s/he is a failures '

I love this idea, and one I hadn't fully considered myself. I knew that, towards the end of the story, my three main characters would drift away and take their own paths, but this irony is quite delicious.

 

[Axeltheswede]

Human cloning

Quasi obviously put some serious thought into this idea. Interesting stuff. When you mentioned individual psyches, it raised another direction.

Say you can duplicate a mature human, but you still have to have some mechanism to instill "humanity" onto a blank slate. Seems like a rich area for sexual preferences and attitudes.

Does that open up some lines of possibility?

 

[NoJo]

Go fuck yourself

I've read an SF story many years ago (early 1970's) that was very neatly structured. It went something like this:
Mr X meets slightly older version of himself telling him that his idea for a time machine will work.
Older Mr X has sex with Mr X, (brilliantly done mixture of auto-erotic and male gay sex)
Mr X goes forwards in time, has sex change, becomes Ms X.
Ms X goes back in time, meets time-travelling Mr X.
Ms X and Mr X fuck (they know each others needs SO well!) and Ms X gets pregnant.
Ms X gives both to the Mr X that started the whole thing.

 

[NoJo]

Re my last post :Go Fuck Yourself

That's give BIRTH. Damn these fat fingers.

 

[Quasimodem]

That sounds like a short story by Robert H. Heinlein ... " All You Mothers!* "
the DEFINITIVE time travel story.

* Title is something like that, but it may not be exactly correct.

I did too much antacid in the 60's.

 

[Axeltheswede]

Cloning

Yeah, Quasi, that "ant" acid was some bad shit.

Time travel. I need to sit down. Always seems like looking for the tag end of a double helix.

Humble suggestion: Let's keep cloning and time travel in separate files.

 

[CasusCoiti]

Oh, give me a clone
of my own flesh and bone
with its Y chromosome changed to X
So when she's all grown
then my own little clone
will be of the opposite sex

Clone! Clone of my own!
With its Y chromosome changed to X
So When I'm alone
with my own little clone
we will both think of nothing but sex!

Oh, give me a clone,
Is my sorrowful moan,
A clone that is wholly my own.
And if she's an X,
Of the feminine sex,
Oh, what fun we will have when we're prone.

[Chorus]

My heart's not of stone,
as I've frequently shown
when alone with my own little X
And after we've dined,
I am sure we will find
better incest than Oedipus Rex!

[Chorus]

Why should such sex vex
or disturb or perplex
or induce a disparaging tone?
After all, don't you see?
since we're both of us me,
when we're having sex, I'm alone.

[Chorus]

And once I am done,
she will still have her fun,
for I'll clone myself twice ere I die.
And this time without fail,
they will be both of them male
And they'll each ravish her by and by.


Randall Garrett, Isaac Asimov

 

[Quasimodem]

Clone Deranger

The exta X denotes female,
Now, hear me. Take my clue.
Because it's brain is cloned from yours,
It chases girls, like you.


Quasi.

 

[MsLinnet]

Re: Clone Deranger

The exta X denotes female,
Now, hear me. Take my clue.
Because it's brain is cloned from yours,
It chases girls, like you.


Quasi.

Just a question. What would it be like if you could clone yourself and then you would be able to make out with yourself and know what buttons to press