Chapter 32: A Debate Beyond Right or Wrong
Chapter 32: A Debate Beyond Right or Wrong
That same month,
After many repeated checks finally confirmed that the infant born earlier in the Human Reproduction Device indeed had no health issues,
This infant, codenamed 1101, was moved away from Research Institute 011.
Academician Shen Yaoguo and Qin Yu also briefly discussed this matter in a call.
After this infant left Research Institute 011, specialized agencies would temporarily care for it for a period of time.
Its final destination still needed to be decided after higher authorities determined how the Human Reproduction Device would be used.
If the Huaxia Nation decided to use the Human Reproduction Device on a large scale, producing new population annually according to plan,
Then infants born from the Human Reproduction Device would undergo socialized collective care.
This infant would then become one of the first under this socialized collective care system,
Growing up within the specialized agency responsible for implementing it.
If the decision was instead to provide the usage rights of the Human Reproduction Device to individual families,
Then this infant would be sent to a suitable family for adoption, growing up in a normal, regular household.
Afterwards,
The higher authorities continued discussing the usage of the Human Reproduction Device for some time.
But ultimately, they still hadn’t reached a conclusion.
Because this truly was a decision far too difficult to be made quickly.
It might take a long time; only by looking back after many years might history reveal the final answer and the pros and cons of either choice.
Therefore,
The higher authorities simply decided to bring the discussion about how to use the Human Reproduction Device to a much wider audience.
To see the public’s opinion and attitude towards this matter.
…
February 3, 2030.
After consulting Qin Yu, the Huaxia Nation publicly announced his latest achievement: the successful development of the Human Reproduction Device.
This time, there wasn’t a live television broadcast like before,
But the news agency Huaxin News Agency issued an authorized report, and all official media outlets reprinted it immediately,
Ensuring the maximum number of people knew about this in the shortest possible time.
“Huaxia Capital, February 3.”
“A major scientific research project led by our renowned scientist, scholar and researcher in the Field of Life Sciences, the Father of Human Life Extension Technology, Professor Qin Yu, has achieved complete success recently.”
“Once again allowing our nation to lead the world and surge ahead of the times technologically in this field.”
“The ‘Human Reproduction Device’ successfully developed in the Artificial Womb Technology project, also known as the In-Vitro Human Embryo Gestation and Production Environment Simulation Device, can perfectly and completely fulfill the environmental needs for an embryo’s entire journey from a fertilized egg to a fully developed baby. No artificial intervention or involvement is required during the entire gestational period within the device.”
“Thus, Artificial Womb related technology has entered an era completely independent of a natural maternal body. The birth of this technology will fundamentally release women from the pain of pregnancy and childbirth.”
The report content authorized by Huaxin News Agency itself was quite brief,
But this did little to dampen the impact. Within mere minutes after this report was released,
Across the Huaxia Nation, multiple social media platforms seemed to momentarily crash.
As many people recovered from the brief lag, they saw that the trending lists on various platforms were almost entirely taken over by topics related to this news.
The very first topic on the social platform trends,
Was bluntly just two words: “Qin Yu”,
Right below it, closely following it, was:
“Artificial Womb Technology”
“Human Reproduction Device”
“Fully Exterogestation”
“Human Reproduction History Will Be Revolutionized”
There was even a ‘Historic Moment’ topic tag.
Throughout the entire internet,
Discussion and interest on this subject basically exploded instantly.
Official media outlets were still relatively restrained in their wording about this matter,
But many other outlets immediately following up weren’t like that,
Naturally, the more sensational the better.
“Professor Qin Yu Leads Revolutionary Era in Human Reproduction Tech, Historic Birth of Artificial Womb Technology!”
“Sci-Fi Becomes Reality: No More Monthslong Pregnancy to Have Babies!”
“The Era of ‘Ten Months Pregnancy, One Day Delivery’ Is Changed: Human Reproduction Device Enables Truly Painless Childbirth!”
Of course, even beyond these exaggerated headlines,
The name “Qin Yu” alone was enough to draw the most intense attention from the vast majority of people to this news and this report.
This was the new achievement of Professor Qin Yu, the Father of Human Life Extension Technology,
After all, the earlier 2611 Longevity Injection truly changed the world,
Truly linked to the fate of every single individual.
For a long time before this, people had been intensely curious about what project Professor Qin Yu was working on lately.
Before this news, there had been numerous guesses online,
Including some wildly outrageous ones, like Professor Qin Yu working on ‘genetic supersoldiers’.
Now, it was finally announced.
Completely without warning, suddenly announced.
When many people saw the news, their first reaction was disbelief, thinking it might be some clickbait from unreliable sources.
Only when they realized it was official did it then seem incredibly logical.
After all, it happened the same way with the previous 2611 research result – appearing suddenly, without warning, and changing the face of the entire world instantly.
This was just the same thing happening again.
“Wow, this tech is amazing. Artificial Womb Technology actually got cracked? Can have babies without pregnancy? If it weren’t for Professor Qin Yu’s name attached, I’d definitely think this is fake. Because it’s Professor Qin Yu, I can only say: Amazing as always, Professor Qin!”
“I completely froze when I saw the news. But I have to say, my ability to absorb shocking news has definitely improved. Looking back to when the 2611 Longevity Injection developed by Professor Qin was released, my mind was just blank.”
“Undoubtedly, this is a monumental technology. Future mothers won’t have to endure the suffering of months-long pregnancy and the agony of childbirth. I just never expected Professor Qin Yu to pivot from longevity mechanisms to this?”
“I think it makes sense, both deal with mechanisms of the human body. But Professor Qin Yu is awesome! My wife and I were getting ready to try for a baby, but now we’ve decided to wait. Seriously, who would choose pain if painless baby-having is an option? No one wants to suffer!”
“I don’t have a girlfriend, but could I get one too? Honestly, I never planned on having kids in my life. But after seeing this Human Reproduction Device, suddenly, having a kid doesn’t seem like such a problem anymore.”
“Perfect! I don’t have a boyfriend. How about two of us? One each?”
“Alright stop it, is this really the place for jokes? Still, gotta praise Professor Qin Yu. My mom actually has a little spot for him at home with his photo. After today’s news, I bet she’ll be talking to his picture even more.”
“I admit Professor Qin Yu is brilliant, but… is this truly okay? Isn’t the pregnancy process how the mother and child bond?”
“Seriously? Idiot commenter above? Want me to come over so we can ‘bond’? I’ll give you a punch. You wouldn’t happen to ‘love’ me after that, would you?”
“Man, your mouth is nasty, but you speak well… Back then, my mother gave birth to three kids one after another, and it left her with all sorts of health issues. In the end, she passed away too soon… If she could have made it to the 2611 Longevity Injection, maybe…”
At that moment,
most people still held supportive and praising feelings toward the birth of the Artificial Womb Technology.
Even if a few people with bizarre thoughts popped up now and then, it didn’t change the main view.
From the aspect of lessening women’s pain in childbirth,
the birth of the Human Reproduction Device could surely be called a great invention.
It was even expected that, with the birth of the Human Reproduction Device removing the body pain in having a new life,
humankind’s birth rate would definitely rise for a while.
Many people were already dreaming about how a big rollout of the Human Reproduction Device would change human baby-making for good.
Of course,
as time went on,
after the excitement faded, more and more folks started thinking about the problems that Researchers and those in charge had worried over during the Human Reproduction Device study period.
They slowly came back to their senses and thought, too,
“This is such a good technology, and I saw how tough it was for my wife during those ten months. If this tech had been there back then, my wife and I would likely have picked it without a second thought. But, maybe it’s my dark side, I worry this wonderful tech might get used for bad stuff.”
“What if the kids born from the Human Reproduction Device have no parents? You know what I mean—no one would care if they lived or died. I’m afraid some not-so-good things might happen.”
“I get what you’re saying, but we can’t throw out the good because of a worry. At most, we’d have strict rules and careful use. If we fret about every little thing, how can science ever move ahead?”
“I’m thinking about another thing. Even if the 2611 Longevity Injection gets everywhere, sickness and accidents are still out there and can strike anyone… Could we use this breeding tech, along with cloning, to grow special made-to-order organs for transplants?”
“Good idea, but something about it feels off—a bunch of devices growing your lungs, my kidneys, and over there, a baby popping out in another device?”
“Alright, alright, I think there’s no need to stress. The top will surely control how the Human Reproduction Device gets used strictly. Instead of fussing over that, why not think about whether we want another child using the Human Reproduction Device later?”
“Yes, for sure! But, at least wait till I’m 120 years old? Then it’ll be our way of helping humanity keep going.”
At that time,
the biggest arguments about the Human Reproduction Device tech hadn’t even come up yet.
That afternoon,
while most folks online were still happy, thrilled, and celebrating the birth of the Human Reproduction Device,
again it was the Huaxin News Agency
that posted another news piece about the Human Reproduction Device.
“Huaxia Nation is asking for the public’s views on how to mass-use the Human Reproduction Device.”
In this report,
it laid out two choices plainly for everyone.
One was that the Human Reproduction Device makes a set number of kids each year, and society takes care of them totally, no families asked to raise them.
These kids would belong to all of Huaxia Nation as the future, not to any individual parents.
The other was what people instantly thought of: directly selling the Human Reproduction Device as a product to families who wanted kids, or putting it as medical gear in hospitals for families to use.
It also gave a detailed list of exactly how each option would work.
After this news came out,
the whole web, and even real life, got way more lively in a flash.
With no surprise,
this matter led to folks at the top not deciding fast in a short time.
And both online and in the real world, people instantly split into two groups over it.
“Honestly, I back giving the Human Reproduction Device straight to families who can use it… Not worried if you call me a scaredy-cat or stuck in the past. This case is just where I feel okay about how society shifts with new tech.”
“I’m with that too—give it right to families who love to have kids. That way, there’s not a single downside. But this group-raising plan has never been tried before, it’s way too risky, full of unknowns, and I don’t want to take chances.”
“I agree with your ideas, but I’ve got to ask: even if we hand it to the eager families, how much will it lift the birth rate in the post-2611 Longevity Injection era? Is childbirth pain the only reason you folks skip having kids? I reckon like Professor Qin Yu was assigned this research mostly to keep new blood flowing in our society, so we don’t get stale and dead as we live longer.”
“If it’s just about getting more people, I lean toward caution too. But have you wondered why those in power are so torn between these two paths? It comes down to the really big change in group-raised kids… they’d lose the blood ties bit… such kids would have no parents, no kids of their own, no relatives—all their bonds are made after birth. That way, our society gets a lot fairer.”
“How about both ways being done together? Let willing families have babies as usual, and the government sets up a group-raising center to craft socially-raised kids from the Human Reproduction Device every year.”
“That won’t work. If the family-raised kids stay around, they can still get stuff built up from their parents, but the group-raised kids won’t… what vibe do you think they’d form? Plus, our resources and output are limited: which group grows bigger, which shrinks?”
“Truthfully, if both happen at once, it’s the divide between the new kind of human and the old. That way, unless they fight till one side falls, I bet this issue won’t end.”
“I think fighting won’t hit. Your ‘old humans’ would give their all for their kids, but your ‘new humans’ have no kin past or present—for them, life means just their own time. Why would they bleed over future new humans’ place against the old?”
“Last guy’s point got me noticing something else. Kids from group-raising might be born stuck with a problem.”
“Right, they don’t have the blood ties thing, but they won’t naturally mind about the next generation. Deep down, everything would be about themselves since nothing after matters to them.”
“In that case, the group-care idea would probably get weaker, and the ‘me-first’ thinking grows louder? Then, how they all join up as one must worsen. I fear humans would fall apart then—forget a fair society, the danger is a scattered, lazy mess. A world where everyone only thinks selfishly might not hold up for long.”
“What to do? You all sound so right on, but you also say both paths together can’t happen. So, maybe seal off the Human Reproduction Device tech and not use it?”