I find it interesting that so soon after announcing the amazing (and this time, credible) news that the cloning of a human had been accomplished, the mainstream news media, including the editorial pages, have left the story to lie where it is without much comment. I'd like to share some pet theories about this, and hopefully get some readers' thoughts as well.
- It wasn't done by an American. Sadly, reporting on the achievements, however earth-shattering, of a man named Hwang Woo-suk is more likely to get chortles than respect in our country, even on dKos.
- The media is gun shy over the topic since last year, when they heavily reported, free of any proof, the claims made by a European cult that they had cloned a human. When that story was covered, the news weeklies were running multi-page features on the Raelians at this point in the news cycle. Newsweek ran a miniscule 10-inch story on the South Korean cloning last week, and have followed it up this week with no story at all.
- We're an extremely tech-friendly society, and until some Dr. Evil creates a Mini-Me, there won't be much interest in the story. This also might explain the fascination last time around; cultists in tinfoil suits (literally) as part freak show, part horror show, sells magazines.
I'd also like to put forward my own opinion that no technology which has a tangible impact on human life has ever been successfully contained by the religious or political structures of society, and that cloning will be no different.