Book Recommendation: Upgrade by Blake Crouch
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I love books, and not just nonfiction ones. I’m also a dedicated fiction reader—particularly science fiction, which gives us a playground to explore possible futures.
That’s why I was excited to pick up a copy of Upgrade, by bestselling novelist Blake Crouch. What becomes possible in a future where gene editing technologies reach their utmost potential?
Exploring the Potential of Genetic Technologies
Some pretty awful things, in Crouch’s imagination. After a raid gone terribly wrong, a federal agent enforcing the Gene Protection Act realizes that his brain and body are changing in shocking ways. His genome has been hacked. Can he stop the forced biological upgrade of billions of people around the world?
💡 Upgrade is a thriller, a quick read. But here’s the thing: the biotechnology in this fictional future isn’t truly impossible. We can’t currently implement some of these techniques, but I can’t really quibble with how Crouch has extrapolated today’s advances in CRISPR, base editing, and other genetic technologies. And if you’ve ever watched a movie with me, you know I’m a pretty tough audience when it comes to bio-fiction!
Navigating the Ethics of Powerful Biotechnology
Technical details aside, this novel explores some big ethical questions about accessing the source code of life. How can we pursue big benefits while avoiding catastrophic outcomes? Are the choices we’re making today about our technologies biasing us toward positive futures, or negative ones? We’re going to need big changes to avert a catastrophic future, but are we shying away from some of our most powerful options? What does it mean to be human? And perhaps most importantly, who gets to decide whether and how to use revolutionary technologies like gene editing—individuals, families, scientists, governments, our whole species? This is not just an ethical issue, but a security and diplomatic one, as well.
Because this is a commercial work of fiction, Crouch has focused on the horrible possibilities of gene editing and other technologies. Agricultural collapse. Millions of deaths. Authoritarian regimes. Evolutionary bioweapons. Remember that compelling conflicts, flawed characters, and strong emotional reactions (like fear) are the elements of good storytelling. Nonetheless, these awful outcomes are worthy of our attention.
💡 That’s why I recommend that you read Upgrade. Not because I want you to lie awake all night, in a cold sweat! But because I want you to think about the choices that we can make today in order to steer us toward futures that are as positive as possible for many, many people around the world.
The choices that we make today could have impact for decades to come. Together, we can move mindfully into our uncertain future.
About Tiffany
Dr. Tiffany Vora speaks, writes, and advises on how to harness technology to build the best possible future(s). She is an expert in biotech, health, & innovation. For a full list of topics and ways to collaborate, visit her Work Together webpage.
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