If the terms biohacking & transhumanism sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, you’re not alone! In this article, we will look at what these terms mean, the pros and cons, as well as how they will affect our definition of health.
The human journey towards improving themselves has always been a rollercoaster ride. The moment someone is born, they are trying to do whatever it takes to improve themselves. It might sound corny, but it’s true. Even babies learning to walk is an improvement that allows them to function better and survive.
Take a moment to imagine the earliest humans. They lived in nature, wear leaves or pelts, and hunted animals to eat. There was no concept of the present world we live in. So, how did the world change from a jungle to a global hub? Well, it all boils down to human improvements.
IT’S BEEN GREAT … FOR THE MOST PART
This unstoppable path has proven to be beneficial to us … mostly. And we’ve created a world that’s fairly easy to live in (compared to our ancestors). One great leap forward was our use of modern technology. It has pacified our lives to a great extent. We have a machine for almost everything, and the world is just one click away.
However, the human thirst for improvement is not satisfied yet. Now, they’re thinking of something that can be both advantageous and equally dangerous!
TRANSHUMANISM
Transhumanism is a social movement to promote the idea of one simple idea – research for developing stronger technologies for human enhancement. The hope is that these technologies will elevate us, and can include:
- Human sensory reception
- Cognitive capacity
- General well being
- Emotive ability
- Lifespan
The transhumanism movement says that humans should be allowed to do whatever it takes to enhance their life. This includes demands for the integration of biological and physical technologies into the human body.
The principal supporters of the movement have been Rayy Kurzweil, Hans Moravec, Eric Drexler, James Hughes, and Nick Bostrom. All of them are either computer technologists, nanotechnologists, or philosophers from America.
It’s also divided into supporters of two post-humanity visions:
- One in which technological and genetic advancements have resulted in a distinct species of radically enhanced humans.
- The other emerges with greater-than-human machine intelligence.
This movement has encouraged people to carry out procedures to enhance their human abilities. They are redefining the concept of mental and physical well-being. The prominent result of which is Biohacking.
BIOHACKING
Biohacking is a very broad and unstructured term covering a wide range of activities like experimenting with yeast and other living beings, tracking your sleeping and eating pattern, changing your biological features, fighting against age, etc!
For example, did you know scientists are pumping the blood of younger individuals into older adults with the hope to fight aging.
Yes, it’s an actual technique called “young blood transfusion” and it is a gift of Biohacking!
“Biohackers” are simply people who practice these kinds of activities. They attempt to manipulate their bodies and brain for optimizing their physical and mental performance.
According to these people, Biohacking is an art that involves the use of science and technology to modify both the external and internal environment. They believe that humans have full control over their own body and as long as they are not harming somebody or something else. They have utter autonomy to change their biology. Many biohackers have stem cells injected into their body, they take dozens of self-formulated supplements, bathe in the infrared light, etc.
All of this is with the goal to live a longer life without any health problems.
Biohackers not only use technology but some of their techniques have been around for centuries. For example, intermittent fasting, Vipassana meditation, and ice bathing in the morning are a few of them. Supplements, another tool for biohackers, have an older history. However, the self-formulated concoctions also now include smart drugs in them.
OTHER BIOHACKING PRACTICES
- Cryotherapy
- Neuro-feedback
- Near-infrared saunas
- Virtual float tanks
- Computer chips insertion
The first one is where the biohackers make him/herself cold purposely. The second involves training and regulating brain waves in infrared saunas. This is meant to escape the stress from EM transmissions. Finally, virtual float tanks help with meditation (via sensory deprivation) all with computer chips that can do more than you can even imagine!
These chips are implanted in the bodies and can help individuals do everything like opening doors without a knob or key, monitoring their level of glucose, blood pressure, heart rate, etc.
WHY ARE PEOPLE BIOHACKING?
The basic reason behind people practicing such techniques is their desire to feel better. They don’t want to get sick as they live longer. Some people want to become smart and strong. Some want enhanced cognitive abilities. Others want better looks.
The expected outcomes of Biohacking include;
- Augmented bodies with stronger and sharper skills.
- The human thought process will be faster and transferable
- Human productivity will increase due to gamification
- Business practices will shift noticeably
IS IT LEGAL?
present laws don’t address Biohacking particularly.
Regulations issued by FDA don’t state Biohacking as an illegal procedure. However, there a many allegations that state humans should not be freely allowed to do whatever they want. Mostly because this could be dangerous for the world. For example, a strong stance in this regard is that since Biohacking is expensive, only a specific class can afford it. So, the technique is not fully legal or illegal yet and authorities are still working on this matter. However, regulations must be issued as soon as possible so that people know their limits!