Someday, thanks to science and human perversity, we will be able to eat people without suffering the pangs of guilt that we have contributed to someone’s murder. Sure, we’ll have all the frisson of the ultimate taboo to spice up our night out, but we will be able to do so without fear of prosecution, opprobrium, or recurring nightmares.
This is just one of the many things we have to look forward to with the invention of in-vitro meat. You know, beaker bacon, Frankenburger, tank steak, cloned cutlets — whatever fun name you can come up with to describe meat that has been artificially grown as opposed to that taken from a living animal.
Sure, most of the in-vitro meat will be in standard form — cow, pig, lamb, etc. — but there will definitely be a niche market out there for restaurants who want to serve something a little different. If you take away the moral component, why not try eating endangered species? Hell, what about human?
I imagine there will be restaurants that specialize in celebrities — some will offer up their DNA so they can be served (I imagine anyone on a reality-type TV show would encourage the additional “exposure”), while some will jealously protect their DNA, so that they cannot be served as dinner. (I’m looking at you Royal Family.) Some eateries will cater to the literary crowd, Atwood Kebab anyone? Some will look for even more exotic sources, such as the Ancient Pharaoh Café.
Incidentally, anyone looking for a new area of law practice may want to consider this grey legal area — is one’s genetic makeup something that can be protected? I dunno, but I’d be willing to be there’s money in the litigation.
But it’s not just about creating new dining experiences, and opportunities for lawyers to make money. There are positive aspects too. I recommend you check out this H+ article about the eight ways in-vitro meat will change our lives.
And by the way, Duchamp is best served in a banana flambé, with nuts.
By all means, recommend your favourite celebrity meal, and its mode of preparation in the comments!
Well obviously I’d want to try a nice cut of Hitler meat. I’ve always wondered what concentrated evil tastes like. ALWAYS.
“I’m gonna finish you, but Beyonce totally had one of the best cutlets of all time…”
Clearly we’ll need to see some Kevin Bacon and Eggs. (Or should there be a Francis Bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich?)
Yes! Makes the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game kind of boring if you can have him for breaky.
is one’s genetic makeup something that can be protected?>/em>
Genetic sequences have been re-coded as music. The theory is that anyone who steals the sequence has violated the copyright. I don’t know if this has ever been tested in court.