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If you've been personally affected by malaria your immediate impulse is do whatever it takes to stop it. But we know nothing comes for free, no good human deed
by nkozyra 8y ago
If you've been personally affected by malaria your immediate impulse is do whatever it takes to stop it.
But we know nothing comes for free, no good human deed goes unpunished.
There's a lot of debate about whether destroying malaria-carrying mosquitoes would have any side effects whatsoever. Alternately, it may have some.
I don't think your characterization is fair, in other words. Those of us in areas not immediately affected are insulated against that emotional response, but we must be aware of the reality of malaria's toll. But destroying an entire species is a draconian approach that should require a great deal of thought.
- Haga 8y agoCan't we at least have backup plan to reintroduce?
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- ekianjo 8y ago> There's a lot of debate about whether destroying malaria-carrying mosquitoes would have any side effects whatsoever. Alternately, it may have some. There's nothing to be lost in doing a trial in an isolated area. The world is vast, we don't need to eradicate mosquitoes at the same time everywhere...
- azthecx 8y agoLife find a way, it doesn't really matter how isolated the area is. Once its out there, especially if its a gene that's very likely to be passed down the chances of it spreading are ridiculously high. I imagine even more as we are talking about insects which reproduce very quickly and are generally hardy.
- krageon 8y ago> But we know nothing comes for free, no good human deed goes unpunished. We know nothing of the sort. Perhaps this is something you know.
- nkozyra 8y agoLet's just say it's been pretty reliably proved over time.
- LeifCarrotson 8y agoWiping out smallpox seems to have no negative side effects. In any case, side effects that might exist are hugely less problematic than millions of human deaths!
- TheHypnotist 8y agoThe discussion isn't about wiping out a disease, it's about wiping out a species to wipe out a disease. Smallpox was eliminated in large part due to vaccination, not wiping an animal or insect from the face of the planet. Now, if you can eliminate the malaria within the mosquito, that's something else entirely.
- sampo 8y agoSmallpox was a species, too. If we allow viruses to be species.
- TheHypnotist 8y agoFair - and you are probably right. But I'd rather not get into semantics. You know what I meant.
- krageon 8y agoIf everyone knew what you meant we wouldn't be having the discussion that we are definitely having.