Pregnancy and childbirth was the most amazing, empowering experience of my life. I absolutely can't get on board with an exowomb as better than pregnancy. A woman's body evolved to grow and birth a child, and I have strong feelings about how women are being robbed of this experience by the conditioning of a patriarchal, capitalistic medical system. For me, creating, carrying, birthing and bonding with a child are a sacred rite, even Divine in nature. I felt a deep sense of awe and wonder everyday. I mean, my body was capable of creating a child, birthing it and then feeding it with milk that was made especially for that unique child and it's needs in that moment. I fantastic feedback loop. It's awe-inspiring. Miraculous, really.
That said, I am not anti-technology, and I believe everyone has the right to choose how they want to carry and birth their child. Perhaps, pods have their place in certain situations where a woman is unable to get pregnant or carry a baby to term. Or, in a situation where a woman just would prefer this method, but I do not agree with any corporation or employer creating a situation where the pod is preferable or the use of it rewarded. In my opinion, the woman and her body are the ideal curator. Period.
Also, perhaps Sophia Barthes just really likes to be in Nature! I mean, I often miss the days that I lived in a mud hut in the middle of a village as a Peace Corps volunteer. That said, I was guaranteed healthcare and knew I would leave eventually. And, perhaps I am blocking out the leaky roof, the goats making crazy noises at night, and the heat of the dry season. 😅 But, there is something so peaceful and contented about living a simple life. I prefer it. Maybe Sophia does to?
Agree - there should be choice and it should be possible help the many couples who can't carry naturally or get married too late, or just only get financially secure enough for additional (or even the first) children later in life.
I think this is exactly the paradox, right??? There is so much beauty in pregnancy and childbirth. And there is also so much good about making the process more accessible and healthy! Technological advancement is good, but so is staying rooted in nature and biology!
I also agree with your take on Barthes, the island was lovely. Often I find myself longing for the symbolic island—a life out in nature with no technology at all. And then when I’m too long in nature I crave the modern world…. 😄 There is magic in the right combination.
Love this. I agree that we want to find the balance between nature and technology. I kind of find Sophia Barthes' answer to be disingenuous. Like, surely she can find SOMETHING to like in the beautiful future she herself depicted? But it's fashionable to be particularly pessimistic/negative about the future.
I know, I was shocked by her response too, because the technologically advanced parts of her world are pretty desirable. Her future world is, in a lot of ways, better than ours.
Thanks for sharing your work!!!! I’m sure many readers will love to read your take on the concept!
The fundamental question is how can we make the technology connect us more to nature and make us more human instead of making us more like machines.
Yes! Exactly!
Pregnancy and childbirth was the most amazing, empowering experience of my life. I absolutely can't get on board with an exowomb as better than pregnancy. A woman's body evolved to grow and birth a child, and I have strong feelings about how women are being robbed of this experience by the conditioning of a patriarchal, capitalistic medical system. For me, creating, carrying, birthing and bonding with a child are a sacred rite, even Divine in nature. I felt a deep sense of awe and wonder everyday. I mean, my body was capable of creating a child, birthing it and then feeding it with milk that was made especially for that unique child and it's needs in that moment. I fantastic feedback loop. It's awe-inspiring. Miraculous, really.
That said, I am not anti-technology, and I believe everyone has the right to choose how they want to carry and birth their child. Perhaps, pods have their place in certain situations where a woman is unable to get pregnant or carry a baby to term. Or, in a situation where a woman just would prefer this method, but I do not agree with any corporation or employer creating a situation where the pod is preferable or the use of it rewarded. In my opinion, the woman and her body are the ideal curator. Period.
Also, perhaps Sophia Barthes just really likes to be in Nature! I mean, I often miss the days that I lived in a mud hut in the middle of a village as a Peace Corps volunteer. That said, I was guaranteed healthcare and knew I would leave eventually. And, perhaps I am blocking out the leaky roof, the goats making crazy noises at night, and the heat of the dry season. 😅 But, there is something so peaceful and contented about living a simple life. I prefer it. Maybe Sophia does to?
Agree - there should be choice and it should be possible help the many couples who can't carry naturally or get married too late, or just only get financially secure enough for additional (or even the first) children later in life.
I think this is exactly the paradox, right??? There is so much beauty in pregnancy and childbirth. And there is also so much good about making the process more accessible and healthy! Technological advancement is good, but so is staying rooted in nature and biology!
I also agree with your take on Barthes, the island was lovely. Often I find myself longing for the symbolic island—a life out in nature with no technology at all. And then when I’m too long in nature I crave the modern world…. 😄 There is magic in the right combination.
Love this. I agree that we want to find the balance between nature and technology. I kind of find Sophia Barthes' answer to be disingenuous. Like, surely she can find SOMETHING to like in the beautiful future she herself depicted? But it's fashionable to be particularly pessimistic/negative about the future.
I explore the fraught ethics of developing a functional exowomb in a novel I'm serializing here on Substack. The difficulty of developing the tech, including human trials and deadends, within a context that rewards speed to market, is missing from the subgenre as far as I know. It gets gnarly! Check it out: https://takimwilliams.substack.com/p/mother-earth-motherboard-pre-singularity?r=17mz6p&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true
I know, I was shocked by her response too, because the technologically advanced parts of her world are pretty desirable. Her future world is, in a lot of ways, better than ours.
Thanks for sharing your work!!!! I’m sure many readers will love to read your take on the concept!