If you had the chance to change yourself; would you?

[Fish Tank]

With all this talk about genetic manipulation I was curious to see who would like to change theirself if it ever became possible to do so.


I would like to be a little more muscular without having to do any more working out lol. It would also be nice never to have to shave again.

[Sibyl]

I'd do it in a flash! as long as I got to pick which changes. I'm not deformed or anything, but my husband was genetically lean, and immediately transformed calories into either energy or muscle. His daughter picked up that trait, Thank God, along with others like my (and my mother's) nearsightedness. Our daughter got hers fixed as an adult, with laser surgery: I'm too old, really, to bother, and used to my spectacles (couldn't adjust to contacts, which were available in my young adulthood). We won't know yet a while whether _her_ daughter got it, or her father's eyes. Not a big deal, but the glasses are a hassle, and so is surgery. There are other genetic traits that I wish I had, and others that I wish I didn't.

[luminousnerd]

Are we talking only about appearance?

If so, I would shave 75 pounds off without a second thought.

If it's also a change in our attitude/personality, I would be slower to get angry, and would like to be able to separate my feelings from arguments when I need to.

[LilBee91]

I would probably alter something so it would be easier to change what I wanted to change. If I just changed things outright I'd feel like a slacker and probably wouldn't appreciate the changes so much. I'd have to put forth a little effort. Though, I wouldn't mind never having to shave again....

[eriador]

Wings.

[Fish Tank]

Wings would be pretty sweet. And gills.

[Sibyl]

Wings.

Wings (functional) would be _enormous_ physiological and biochemical change. Ones the size pictured on angels wouldn't work, humans are just too dense and heavy. Bird bones are hollow, and even as light as they are, need to take in enormous amounts of energy to fly and stay alive. We'd need hollow bones like theirs (and to find some place to manufacture our red blood cells), and greatly changed musculature: they couldn't be just "tacked on" and be useful. Even as light as we could get, the wings would still probably need to be around the size of the wings for a small plane.

[Bevis]

I'd get rid of my bubbly genetic scarring condition. Keloids blow.

[Firegirl]

I would not want biological wings, too hard to maintain and grow. What I really could use is to grow 3 or 4 inches taller (I am vertically challenged). Unfortunately that likely won't happen, as I am done growing. Also some extra Melanin in my skin so I don't sunburn as much.

[lovesonia]

I would like my hands, feet, nose and ears to be able to be uncovered while I'm outside for 10 minutes in 20 degree weather and not freeze. This is rather important, as I have to go outside and bring in firewood for the fire. I really hate having to go upstairs to put on socks, shoes, gloves and a hat before I can go outside to gather half a dozen pieces of wood, arrange them so I can carry them, and then bring them in. God forbid I have to go into the garage to get something out of the freezer. I'll freeze in 2 minutes in the garage. No sun = much colder. Ick.

[eriador]

Wings.

Wings (functional) would be _enormous_ physiological and biochemical change. Ones the size pictured on angels wouldn't work, humans are just too dense and heavy. Bird bones are hollow, and even as light as they are, need to take in enormous amounts of energy to fly and stay alive. We'd need hollow bones like theirs (and to find some place to manufacture our red blood cells), and greatly changed musculature: they couldn't be just "tacked on" and be useful. Even as light as we could get, the wings would still probably need to be around the size of the wings for a small plane.

That wouldn't stop me. We're talking about the matrix here, using your mind to change reality. I can do what I want.

Oh and FishTank, I agree, gills would be awesome too.

And I'd like to run REALLY fast too.

[Sibyl]

I would like my hands, feet, nose and ears to be able to be uncovered while I'm outside for 10 minutes in 20 degree weather and not freeze. This is rather important, as I have to go outside and bring in firewood for the fire. I really hate having to go upstairs to put on socks, shoes, gloves and a hat before I can go outside to gather half a dozen pieces of wood, arrange them so I can carry them, and then bring them in. God forbid I have to go into the garage to get something out of the freezer. I'll freeze in 2 minutes in the garage. No sun = much colder. Ick.

Duh! Keep your socks, shoes, gloves, and hat by the door you go out of! I have an old coat rack by my front door, (I'm usually wearing socks even in bed, and socks and shoes in the house in the winter, because my floors are cold, though I'm barefoot all summer) that has a dog leash, zipper hooded sweatshirt, "wool" scarf, a couple of knit caps, thinnish gloves and thick mittens and tote bags all hanging on it. Of course, without all that stair climbing, you might get undesirably fatter.

[fawkes]

Natural fire-engine red hair. Lose weight. Change my nose (I think it's too big. Looks like a man's nose). One thing I'd definitely have to change is my feelings towards vegetables. I can't stand most of them, so my culinary choices are a bit slim, and not eating enough veggies is bad for you, so I kind of need to eat them. Seriously, I could list all the green veggies I'll eat on one hand. No tomatoes. I hate tomatoes.

[Rei]

Short of super-powers, I would be uneasy changing much about myself. Certainly I am wholly opposed to changing the frivolous things and think that we are better off learning to love ourselves as we are instead of being so superficial that we need to look different to be loved.

I am less adamant when it comes to actual problems. For example, if diabetes runs in a family and we could change it so that it would either not be present or it would not manifest itself, I would probably be in favour of doing so.

[Eaquae Legit]

I was thinking about this, and there aren't many things I'd change. My glasses are as much of an accessory as any necklace or ring, and if I don't want them I have my contacts. I kind of like it that I can take off my glasses and see the Christmas tree all blurry and shimmery. Or see my palaeography easier.

Maybe I'd fix my messed-up feet or make my legs the same length, but that's probably it. And maybe not even that.

I like who I am.

[luminousnerd]

Short of super-powers, I would be uneasy changing much about myself. Certainly I am wholly opposed to changing the frivolous things and think that we are better off learning to love ourselves as we are instead of being so superficial that we need to look different to be loved.

You can only see that because you don't have any major problems with the way you look. You can't understand the other side of the argument. It's about a hell of a lot more than what you look like; it's about how people treat you.

[anonshadow]

No. Not in any way, shape, or form.

There are things about my body that I am not entirely satisfied with, but I wouldn't change them. There are even certain aspects of my body that I'm incredibly self-conscious about.

I still wouldn't change them. It's the easy way out, and it's the wrong way out. If there's something you don't like, take steps to make it better on your own--don't eliminate the need to work for it.

Edit: Though I might consider wings, as hard as they would be to maintain.

I'm not sure, though. It goes against my particular idea of honor.

[Snowdemon]

I'd make it so I'd have really good vision and never need glasses. I dont mind wearing them, but I hate having to worry when doing something physical about getting them broke. The contacts thing doesnt work for me since my eyes blink way too much for me to put them in, which really bummed me out. Laser surgery is nice, but once you start getting older it begins to wear off, or atleast it did for my mom and other people I know that are older.

[Dr. Mobius]

Short of super-powers, I would be uneasy changing much about myself. Certainly I am wholly opposed to changing the frivolous things and think that we are better off learning to love ourselves as we are instead of being so superficial that we need to look different to be loved.

You can only see that because you don't have any major problems with the way you look. You can't understand the other side of the argument. It's about a hell of a lot more than what you look like; it's about how people treat you.

You're missing the point. If someone doesn't like you the way you are, then they're not worth your time. Leave them and find someone who can accept you simply for being you. Including your flaws, not in spite of them.

[Eaquae Legit]

Short of super-powers, I would be uneasy changing much about myself. Certainly I am wholly opposed to changing the frivolous things and think that we are better off learning to love ourselves as we are instead of being so superficial that we need to look different to be loved.

You can only see that because you don't have any major problems with the way you look. You can't understand the other side of the argument. It's about a hell of a lot more than what you look like; it's about how people treat you.

You, in turn, have no basis for that conclusion. Has Rei told you personally that he has no major issues with how he looks? I doubt it. He just thinks that it's better to love than hate one's self.

[Hegemon]

Outside of the obvious "HELL YEAH" if the change involved superpowers, i would change a few other things.

More muscle, less fat so that the muscles are defined. Not have a deformed thumb. hmmm.... might add an inch to my height so i hit 6'2. Definitely would want to remove my various mental health issues.

One a side note, Snowdemon, what kind of laser surgery did your mom get? When did she get it? Was she myopic or hyperopic to begin with? Are you sure the decline in visual acuity is simply not presbyopia? I am curious and ask these things because I actually did some research on that stuff a few years ago.

[Rei]

I think EL and Chico have captured what I was going for. I do not like some things about my physical appearance. There are some points which I would be glad to change and not have to deal with anymore. However, in the immortal words of Calvin's dad, "it builds character."

[luminousnerd]

You're missing the point. If someone doesn't like you the way you are, then they're not worth your time. Leave them and find someone who can accept you simply for being you. Including your flaws, not in spite of them.

You just don't understand what it's like.

That's a great philosophy when there's a certain person who doesn't like you.

But it really f****** sucks to have just about everyone hate you when they look at you.

I doubt if you know what that's like. I've had a taste of it, and it's absolutely miserable.

Luckily, I'm now in an environment that is far less judgmental.

But the fact remains, when you are completely alone in a sea of people who hate you, you want the change, you'll do anything to change.

[Dr. Mobius]

Speaking of being judgmental, please don't tell me what I do and do not understand. You're not the only poor bastard who's been treated unfairly by his peers at one time or another.

[anonshadow]

LN--

I have been in situations where aspects of me--in one (prolonged) instance physically, and in another (prolonged) instance psychologically--have led to either intense teasing or outright general isolation, with only a few exceptions.

I still wouldn't change those things about myself. And, at this point, I don't particularly care if people continue to tease me, because those people are not worth knowing.

[Matty]

I'd make myself physically and mentally perfect. Then I'd give myself the psycological strength I would've gained by attaining those things the hard way.

If superficialities aren't important, they aren't important. Why wouldn't you give them up to be able to get through your days easier? After all, you'd get new superficial characteristics that define you just as well, without the added bonus of people staring at you. Not to mention the benefits of not being (for example) morbidly obese anymore.

The world is not divided neatly into people who are fun to hang out with and jerks.