cthia wrote:But none of that has anything to do with the question of this thread. His extreme measures and the dangers of genies to non-genies - the flip side of the improvement - is exactly what the thread is about.
Nobody doubted the benefits of genetic improvement. Especially Beowulf. What was doubted is the extreme lengths which some were willing to go. Earth's Final Wars is Exhibit A.
Mankind is an egotistical creature. The Scrags are a perfect example. Non-genies will always be exposed to a real, unnatural danger from interacting with genies. At least one knows what he is facing with a hexapuma.
To a genetically pure human, genies carry around built-in weapons which they are born with. Oftentimes invisible to the naked eye. Imagine your genetically pure child unknowingly getting into a fight with a genie who tears him a new head.
And I submit that there will be exterior characteristics for most genetic changes, like strength. You can't simply have far more effective muscles without adding body mass. The first Travis Crisis in
A Call To Duty after he enlisted was the Coookie Theft Problem, where a Sphinxian was fed exactly the same as everyone else and yet had higher nutrient requirement needs, so he resorted to stealing cookies to supplement his diet. Chuck was also big (tall, broad). There was nothing inconspicuous about him needing more energy.
So why is your "pure child" picking a fight with someone bigger than him/her? The best case scenario I can see here is that this is a learning experience.
Further, I also submit that "pure child" and "genetically pure human" is both an oxymoron and inherently racist. It's a term that will get used only by extremist groups that fail to see the light in improvement and, like the Scrags, think that their genetic make-up make them superior over every one who isn't part of their group. They will also figure out a way to include only those people whose ideas also match theirs, regardless of whether the strict interpretation of their genetic make-up would include others or exclude some of their members.
This is important because after 2000 years of genetic manipulation at some level or another, frequently dominant characteristics, and especially after 800 years of cheap, faster-than-light interstellar travel, there
are no "genetically pure" humans left, except some early-mid (but not earliest) isolated colonies that left Earth
because of this trend. Like Grayson was meant to be.
Do you have any textev that the recipe for Beth's genetic soup is public knowledge? She certainly does not broadcast it. Is it even widely known that the Wintons are genies?
There hasn't been an uprising against the Wintons because they rule with a hefty sprinkling of morals, scruples, and values. Honor said it best when she informed Beth that she needed to know the Queen she served is worthy. But, is that a rare trait in the galaxy amongst genies as a whole? The MAlign certainly lowers the overall grade of genies by a lot. Heck, because of the MA, the lot of them need to be graded on a curve. LOL
No, there isn't any textev for the recipe being public knowledge. I had meant that the fact the Wintons have mods is known, not the extent of what they are and what the recipe is. Any way, this and what I said above, are speculation of mine, based on my interpretation of the text and reading between the lines. There were discussions that touched this subject in some of the Crown of Slaves books and it didn't seem that any one was surprised.
Anyway, taking your last paragraph: the important thing is
how they behave, not the content of their genes. And I submit that there is no high correlation between genies and arrogant behaviour: there will be arrogant supremacists like the Alignment whether they're genies or not and there are benevolent and informed leaders and citizens that are genies and not.
