5 ms·

Yeah let's not do this. I'd rather we eradicate the mosquitos themselves. What could go wrong with nonconsensual, covert, forced mass injections. Today it's u

Yeah let's not do this. I'd rather we eradicate the mosquitos themselves. What could go wrong with nonconsensual, covert, forced mass injections. Today it's used for malaria, tomorrow? When releasing these mosquitos, will they be getting consent of everyone in the area?

sebtron 2y ago
Do regular mosquitos ask for consent before biting you?
- theultdev 2y ago
  Do you think it's okay to kill a human because other animals kill humans? Just because nature does something, doesn't mean it's okay to allow humans to do it.
- therein 2y ago
  This is not a regular mosquito anymore. Imagine the following: we found the part of the brain that's making you love everything done by the authority. We developed a genetic vaccine against it and we are deploying it via mosquitos. You wouldn't say the same thing.
vlod 2y ago
>I'd rather we eradicate the mosquitos themselves. And you know the extent of this on the whole eco-system?
- theultdev 2y ago
  Do you know the extent of injecting modified parasites on the human population? And yes, many places have eradicated mosquitos with no shift in the ecosystem. It's pretty much the one creature that all animals would love to have eradicated or at the very least mitigated.
  - vlod 2y ago
    > And yes, many places have eradicated mosquitos with no shift in the ecosystem. I read that the tropical rain forests are unlivable by humans because of mosquitos and that limits the amount of deforestation that occurs. Whether that's really true or worthwhile I'll leave it to others to argue over.
    - dheera 2y ago
      I mean, Indonesia has 280 million people living in a tropical rainforest climate ... that's 80% of the US population, on a a bunch of tropical islands. Deforestation is an issue, as those 280 million people do need to be fed. Mosquitoes don't really get in the way of deforestation. Insect repellents and pesticides do work. And when an area is deforested and either converted to urban or agricultural land, mosquitoes don't really linger in that area anymore.
  - shkkmo 2y ago
    Not really true. Mosquitos are an important part of the ecosystem, they (especially their larva) are important food sources for other creatures. However, most species of mosquitoes do not bite humans and not all of those are capable of spreading disease. What you are probably referencing is experiments in extermining specific disease carrying species. I don't think those studies have claimed "no shift in the ecosystem."
  - chmod775 2y ago
    Mosquitos are a food source for some reptiles, fish, birds, and other insects and male mosquitos also serve as pollinators, of which many a species are already in danger.
    - deleted 2y ago
      [deleted]
    - theultdev 2y ago
      When people talk about mosquito eradication programs, they're talking about subspecies that suck blood and carry the major diseases like malaria. Not all mosquitos.
ben_w 2y ago
The "today x tomorrow y" argument doesn't work, as the villains of tomorrow don't care about any success of x. For all x and y.
- theultdev 2y ago
  Developing X allows villians to use X to do Y.
  - ben_w 2y ago
    The villains can develop x and y all by themselves.
cosmojg 2y ago
I mean, the paper's been published. The cat's out of the bag. If a sufficiently motivated villain wants to use this technology for villainy, they can now.

sebtron 2y ago

Do regular mosquitos ask for consent before biting you?

theultdev 2y ago
Do you think it's okay to kill a human because other animals kill humans? Just because nature does something, doesn't mean it's okay to allow humans to do it.
therein 2y ago
This is not a regular mosquito anymore. Imagine the following: we found the part of the brain that's making you love everything done by the authority. We developed a genetic vaccine against it and we are deploying it via mosquitos. You wouldn't say the same thing.

vlod 2y ago

>I'd rather we eradicate the mosquitos themselves. And you know the extent of this on the whole eco-system?

theultdev 2y ago
Do you know the extent of injecting modified parasites on the human population? And yes, many places have eradicated mosquitos with no shift in the ecosystem. It's pretty much the one creature that all animals would love to have eradicated or at the very least mitigated.
- vlod 2y ago
  > And yes, many places have eradicated mosquitos with no shift in the ecosystem. I read that the tropical rain forests are unlivable by humans because of mosquitos and that limits the amount of deforestation that occurs. Whether that's really true or worthwhile I'll leave it to others to argue over.
  - dheera 2y ago
    I mean, Indonesia has 280 million people living in a tropical rainforest climate ... that's 80% of the US population, on a a bunch of tropical islands. Deforestation is an issue, as those 280 million people do need to be fed. Mosquitoes don't really get in the way of deforestation. Insect repellents and pesticides do work. And when an area is deforested and either converted to urban or agricultural land, mosquitoes don't really linger in that area anymore.
- shkkmo 2y ago
  Not really true. Mosquitos are an important part of the ecosystem, they (especially their larva) are important food sources for other creatures. However, most species of mosquitoes do not bite humans and not all of those are capable of spreading disease. What you are probably referencing is experiments in extermining specific disease carrying species. I don't think those studies have claimed "no shift in the ecosystem."
- chmod775 2y ago
  Mosquitos are a food source for some reptiles, fish, birds, and other insects and male mosquitos also serve as pollinators, of which many a species are already in danger.
  - deleted 2y ago
    [deleted]
  - theultdev 2y ago
    When people talk about mosquito eradication programs, they're talking about subspecies that suck blood and carry the major diseases like malaria. Not all mosquitos.

ben_w 2y ago

The "today x tomorrow y" argument doesn't work, as the villains of tomorrow don't care about any success of x. For all x and y.

theultdev 2y ago
Developing X allows villians to use X to do Y.
- ben_w 2y ago
  The villains can develop x and y all by themselves.

cosmojg 2y ago

I mean, the paper's been published. The cat's out of the bag. If a sufficiently motivated villain wants to use this technology for villainy, they can now.