EGG

Humansarerippingthelast membraneofftheegg

Abstract

Whatkindofattitudeandmooddopeoplehavewhenconfrontedwithaboiledandbrokenegg?Wehave becomesoskilledatmanipulatingthisweaklifethatitisgraduallybeingcommodifiedthatwedonotevenfeel itspresence.Wecanevenimaginethefutureofhumanuseoftheembryo.Thispaperwilltakeourperceptionof theeggasastartingpointandthenexplorewhatlifeisthroughinteractionandexperimentationwiththeeggs andhowitrelatedtotheembryo,gender,abortion,andreproductivefunctionandcommercialization,etc.And thepaperconcludesthattheunderstandingoftheeggaslifeisacognitiveprocessofconstantinteractionwith theenvironmentandthattheegginteractswithhumansbyitsexistence,andpredictsandexpresseshuman attitudesinreproductiveethicsandexpandsthem,allofwhichisbasedoninteractionwiththeeggand ecologicalobservation.

Keywords:Egg,reproduction,gender,embryo,abortion,reproductivecommercialization,observation.

Listofillstrations

Figure.1——DonghaoXie,“Face-To-Face”,2021

Figure.2——DonghaoXie,“Eggsystem”,2021

Figure.3:5-MinuteCrafts,“36CRAZYWAYSTOCOOKEGGS”,2019

Figure.4:DonghaoXie,“Abortion”,2021

Figure.5:DonghaoXie,“BabyFarm”,2021

Figure.6:DonghaoXie,“EnhancementSystem”,2021

Figure.7:DonghaoXie,“Reproductivecommercialization”,2021

Figure.8:DonghaoXie,“Travelingwitheggs”,2021

Figure.9:DonghaoXie,“HeavenandHell”,2021

"Tounderstandsomething,youhavetoliveinit,youhavetoobserveit,recognizeitinallits connotations,itsnature,itsstructure,andhisactivity." 1

Onaregularmorning,youhabituallytookaneggoutofthefridgeandquicklypreparedbreakfast;asyou wereinahurry,youchosetoboilitinwaterinsteadoffryingitinoil.Afewminuteslater,TheBoiledegg wasplacedonaplate,andyouwereplanningtoeatbreakfastwhileworking;yourhandswerebusy.The eggwasknockedhardbythetable,andyourhandswereabsentmindedlyrubbingitscasing;suddenlyan emailcamein,andyouputitonthetable,youfinishreadingtheemailandlookforit,onlytofindit lookingatyou,half-naked(Figure.1)

Thisscenariohappenstomostpeople,andIamnoexception.AftertheminuteIspentstaringattheegg, Ichosetophotographit,preservingthatincrediblepower.Hetransmitsenergyandinformationtome duringourinteraction:thefragileshellbecomestornapart,thedislodgedpieceslyingonthetablelikehis hands,stimulatingmetoimaginehimturningintoachick,onceexpectedtobeanotherformoflifesentencedtodeath,fragmentedintoanotherstatetoshowitslifeforce,numbingmeeventofeelhis presence.

Isawhissilentcryingonthetable;asuppressedemotionconnectedussothatIhadtothinkaboutwhat lifeis?Thatmomentofexchangecaptivatedme,anditwasinthatshortminutethatmysenseof oppositiontotheeggbecameblurred,theobserverandtheobservedbecameone,andIforgotmy existence.NaessintroducesaconceptinDeepEcology,theecologicalSelf,"seetheSelfinallpresence, andallpresentintheSelf."2 Itrecognizestheintrinsicvalueofalllivingthings.Itconsiderstheworldnot asacollectionofisolatedobjectsbutasaninterconnected,interdependentnetwork.Inthatvery moment,didIbecomepartofthewebofanegg?Thisconnectionbetweenecologicalperceptionand behaviorisnotlogicalbutpsychological.Byobservinganobjectwithourwholebeing,withempathy,by followingathingwithourentirebeing,empathy,andpassion,wehaveecologicalawareness,experience, andthennaturallybecomeapartofittocareforalloflivingnature.

1.JidduKrishnamurti,Recognizeyourself(Beijing,QunyanPublishingHouse,2004),p.25.

2.ArnNeass,‘SelfRealization:AnEcologicalApproachtobeingintheworldinGeorgeSessions’,theTrumpeterJournalOfEcosophy4(3)(1987)

Figure.1:DonghaoXie,“Face-To-Face”,2021

Supermarket

Money

ecologicalawareness

Eggfarmingfactory

Figure.2:DonghaoXie,“Eggsystem”,2021

"However,wemayalsoreflectonwhatittellsusaboutourownspeciesandwillfindhereabundantand depressingevidenceofourhumanabilitytoobjectifylivingothersandofourcapacitytobeheldutterlyinthe thrallofaparticularideology.Itisafrighteningdemonstrationofcompletemoraldisengagementand objectification." 3

Eggandcell

Mostofushavethemostdirectcontactwithnon-humansatthedinnertable:eatingthem.Thefirstanimalsto enterthehighlystressedmodernintensivefarmsofthepresentarechickens,andhumansneedchickenandeggs asasourceofproteinormakelovelycakes.Theeggisnolongerasimplelifebutavastandrigid"livingsystem." Asthesystemgrowslargerandlarger,thechickenbecomesakindofegg-layingmachine.Asinthecaseofthe longwoodenwindowlessshedintowhichthechickensareusuallyplaced,withvariousenvironmentalcontrols andmachineryhangingfromtheroofthatautomaticallyaddsfeedandwater,thehenisforcedtobecomea practicaltransformer,thatis,totransformtherawmaterial(meal)intothefinishedproduct(eggs).

Thecellandthe"eggsystem"(Figure.2) havesimilarproperties.Thepurposeofconsideringtheeggasacellora livingsystem(analogoustothislifeprocessofthecelltoshowanautopoieticcycleusingcollage)istoquestion thewholeeggproductionenvironment,asifthepartsoftheautopoieticnetworkinthecellinteractwitheach other,whereautopoiesisisakindof"self-making,"itisanetworkpatterninwhichthefunctionofeach componentistoparticipateintheproductionortransformation.4 Theself-cyclingprocessofthecellissimply this:theDNAinthenucleusproducesRNAmolecules,theRNApassesinstructionstotheproductioncenters, whichcontaininstructionsfortheproductionofproteins,fortheproductionofenzymes,andtheseenzymes enterthenucleustorepairtheDNA.Thisnetworkisthereforeclearlyautopoietic.Thesameself-loopingegg farmingindustryislikeagiantcellwithlifecharacteristics.Itisnotarelationshipbetweenastaticsetof components,butarelationshipbetweenagroupofcomponentsproducingaprocess,wheretheprocessstops andlifedisappears.

3.ABandura,'Moraldisengagementintheperpetrationofinhumanities'.Personality&SocialPsychologyReview,3(3),1999,p.193.

4.FritjofCapra,Theweboflife:Anewsynthesisofmindandmatter(London,Flamingo,1996),p.172

Desire

Theserepresentativecomponentsarelinkedtothecorrespondingpartsofthecell:thenucleusislikethehuman brain(desire),whichcontainsthegeneticmaterialthattransmitsinstructionstotheproductioncenter.Thebrain (desire)wantstoeateggsandgotoaretailsupermarket.Theorganellesarelikeeggbreedingplants, supermarkets,etc.Theyaresimilartothebody'sorgansandfunctionasstoragesacs,recyclingcenters, powerhouses,andsolarstations.Photosynthesisproducessugars,andthenpowerhousesdecomposetohave energy,andtheeggsandhensareplacedinspecificlocationswithconstantinputandoutput.Finally,thecell membraneislikeanecologicalawareness;itisacellboundarythatcanchoosewhatgoesinandwhatgoesout, absorbfoodanddissipatewaste.Itisanactivepartofthenetworkandlimitstheexpansionofthenetworkwhile definingauniquesystem.Itisalsoanalogoustohumanconsciousness,themoralthresholdthatisconstantly adjustedtoinfluencethescopeofthesystem.Sowhatwecandoiscontrolthecellmembraneandbreakthe cyclebyrecognizingthecruelwayoflife.

"Reproductiveprostitution,eggfarming,gynecide,andthemisuseofeugenics;oreggfusion,parthenogenesis,andmale mothers:feministshaveforeseenseveralpossiblereproductivefutures,bothbadandgood." 5

ReproductiveControl

Throughtheuseoftoolsandtheadditionofothersubstances,theeggbeginstomorphintosomethingelse, somethingthatcanonlybecontainedinacontainer,somethingfamiliartothetable(Figure.3),wheremostof thetoolsandformsoftheeggarelistedinblackandwhite,makingthemovementlessvivid.Thecontrolofthe egg'slifeformcanbeanalogizedtohumans'diverseuseofreproductivetechnologies.Itislikeaskingifthe embryoisaperson?BishopLaceysaysthattheyare"themosthelplessofallhumanbeings"andthereforemust defendtheirrighttoliveandthateveryfetus,whetherdeformedornormal,hasafullrighttolife.6 Theeggis alsoavision,afuturetrendthatlinkshumanintervention(labor)andgender.

5.ChristineOverall, Ethicsandhumanreproduction:Afeminist analysis(Routledge,2013),p.210 6.BishopLacey,quotedinCollins,p.90.

Figure.3:5-MinuteCrafts,“36CRAZYWAYSTOCOOKEGGS”,2019

Brokeneggandabortion

Beforetheyarebroken,theeggsareusually putneatlyintoaboxandplacedonashelfina supermarketforpeopletochoosefrom,and sincetheycan'tseewhat'sinside,onlyby touchingthemtofeelifthere'sstillalive.In thehumanworld,prenataldiagnosiscandoit all.Theoutermostlayeroftheeggishuman's mosttremendousrespectforit,preventingthe eggfromcollidingwitheachothertobemore delicious.Onceitisbroken,themembrane insidetheeggcannotpreventthereleaseofall thelife-likeliquid.Itneverisputbacktogether becausethere'snostrengthanymore.

Throughanothercombinationofobjects ( Figure.4) tohighlightthissenseofimpotent bloodshed,Ichosetheknife,thebrightlightin themiddlepreventingoureyesfromlingering toolongontheimage,thedeadegg,the yellowliquidlikebloodspurtingoutirregularly. Acuteggshellisliketerminatingthelifeofa fetus.Inadditiontothepaincausedtothe fetus,thereisanotherharm,thelossofwhat hecouldhavebeen.

BabyFarm

Eggsfromthesamemotherarecomparedin acontainerfilledwithculturefluid,and peopletrytomakeeggsintochicksand embryosintobabiesbyanymeanspossible. Thepinksolidinthecontainerisasymbolof development(Figure.5).Therightsideis faster,andtheembryoownerisobserving theexperimenttochoosethebetterembryo forhisnextgeneration,asitisconceivable thatdeformedbabiesarebecominglessand lesscommonastheylosetherighttolive. Thedangersofjustexperimentingonit includepossiblepain,mutilation,andlossof futurelifepotential.Asembryosare "farmed"well,someselectthemtodevelop intodesiredorgansandtissuestoenhance certainpartsofthebody,andeachperson livesastheywanttobe.Factorytechnology or"babyfarms"willbecomethemodeof production,andcullingandkillingwill becomethenorm.

Figure.4:DonghaoXie,“Abortion”,2021

Figure.5:DonghaoXie,“BabyFarm”,2021

Embryosaredividedbymoneyintodifferentcategories(Figure.7),low-qualityembryos,high-qualityembryos, somewiththehelpofdrugs,andsomeinjectedwithslightlycheapergeneticmaterial.Itislikethedifferent varietiesofeggsonthesupermarketshelvestoday.Everyonewillgoforthemoreexpensiveonesbecausethose tastetastierandmorenutritious.

Transparent,translucent,andsomeradicalsevengoforthelastone.Thebenefitisthatthenewgenerationof developinghumanswillnolongerneedlargeamountsofvitaminCsupplements,savinganotherbigchunkof money.Fortunately,wecanseethefutureineggs.Ibelievethatsoon,aseconomicrelationsareintroducedinto thesocialmodelofhumanreproduction,gametesorembryosarebecomingaconsumerproductthatcanbe ordered,adjusted,andpurchasedonthemarketorprivately,andgraduallychildrenwillalsobecommodifiedby reproductivetechnology.Eachofuswillbecomeaconsumer.Lifebecomesahumancreationinanewsense, meaningthecreationofpossibilitiesformanipulation,corruption,exploitation,andabuseofpower.

Start End

Figure.8:DonghaoXie,“Travelingwitheggs”,2021

Itriedtobeamotherpregnantwithlifeforaday(Figure.8);Ifilledaboxwith6eggsandstuffedthemintomy backpack.Icarefullycarriedmyeggsasiftheycouldturnintochicks;Ididn'tdaretoexercisevigorously,and everynowandthen,Ihadtochecktoseeiftheyhadbroken.Itookthemtointeractwithvariouslivingsystems, suchaspigeonsandsquirrelsinthepark,whoalmostatetheeggsasfood,andthentookthemtoanartpavilion forabriefinteractionwiththeartwork,suchastoimitatetheirdynamicsandtakeapicturewiththebodyofa frozenchicken,whichatthesametimecausedtheeggstothink,doesshestillwanttobecomeachicken?When Igothomefromtheday,amazingly,Isawsomeliquidintheboxthatlookedlikeblood.Weretheyreally developing?

IfIhadpaidmoreattentiontotheeggsthemselves,mybagorbehaviorwouldhavebeentreatedasacontainer or"environment,"analogoustothefetusitself.Thewomanwouldhavebeentheco-creatorandsolesustainerof theembryo/fetus.WhenIputdownmybookbag,Ibecameanindividualagain,justasthemotherisan individualbeforethebeginningandaftertheendofthepregnancy,physicallyandemotionallyconnectedtothe fetus,butnotdependentonitforitscontinuedexistence.Thisisnotnecessarilythecasewiththefetus,entirely reliantonthewomanbeforeconception.Thismeansthattherelationshipbetweenthewomanandthefetusis asymmetrical.Thereiscompetitionandantagonismaswellasinteractionandsupport.IfIdoanythingat random,itislikeaninvisiblecontrollingforceasawomanwhosmokes,drinks,orusesdrugsmayputherfetusin danger.Environmentalconditionssuchassevereairpollutionaroundhermayposeathreattothefetus.

"Intheemergingtheoryoflivingsystemstheprocessoflife-thecontinualembodimentofanautopoieticpatternof organizationinadissipativestructure-isidentifiedwithcognition,theprocessofknowing." 8

Fromthebeginning,whenIstaredattheeggtothevariousformsofinteractionthatfollowed,my communicationwiththeeggwasnotover.Irealizedtherolethattheenvironmentplayedbetweenus.AsI placeditindifferentenvironmentalconditions,suchasinavibrantmeadowandnexttoadirty,smellygarbage dump,myemotionsshifted.Ithoughtwewerebothconstantlycognizingeachotherandtheenvironment aroundus.

Infact,intheworldwelivein,therearenotonlylivingsystemssuchashumansandeggs,butalsovarious environmentalroles,andlifeexistsfromitsownrelationshipwithotherthings.Theinteractionofanorganism (animal,plant,orhuman)withitsenvironmentiscognitive.Thatis,livingsystemsarecognitivesystems.We mustdescribetheprocessofcognitionintermsoftheinteractionoftheorganismwithitsenvironment,where weobserveandcognizeinaworld,thusconstantlybringinginnewworlds.Thelivingsystemismultiple interconnectednetworkswhosecomponentsareconstantlychanging,transforming,andreplacing,continually respondingtostimulifromtheenvironment,certaindisturbancestriggeringspecificstructuralchanges.Yet,the thresholdisthatthismembraneistheresponsewecanbringtothestimulus;wetendnottonoticethingsinthe environmentthatarenotrelevanttous.Theanswerisprimarilyconditionedbyourconceptualframeworkand culturalcontext.

Soifweperceivethepresenceofaparticularbeing,hopefully,wedon'tignoreittooquicklyandusethewhole persontoobserveit,tobecomeit,toconstantlymaintainandrenewourselves,toformnewstructuresandnew patternsofbehavior,forexampleintheeggIseethefutureofreproductivetechnology,toconstantlydevelop andevolvebyinteractingwiththeeggtorefinetheview,whichiswhattwobeingsaredoing.

8.FritjofCapra,Theweboflife:Anewsynthesisofmindandmatter(London,Flamingo,1996),p.264

Figure.9:DonghaoXie,“HeavenandHell”,2021

Reflectiveappendix

Mythesisisaproductofthethirdsemesteroftheseminar.Thefirsttwosemesterswerespentonapreliminary understandingofenvironmentalarchitecture,learningaboutphilosophicalideasandconcernsrelatedtonature, anddiscussingthecomplexsystemsofhumansandnon-humans.Theseexperiencestogetherledtothisthesis. Throughmystudyofenvironmentalarchitecture,IcanfeelthatIseethingsaroundmefromadifferent perspectiveandattitudethanIwouldhaveinanarchitecturalcontext.Ithinkitiscrucialtothinksystematically whentalkingaboutsomething.Forexample,inthispaper,extendingtheeggtoadifferentdimensionof thinking,considerwhatlifeis?Thereisstillnotenoughdiscussionabouteggs,andthereisstillalotmoretotalk about.Thepointistodiscoverandrecognizetheordinarythingsaroundus.

Bibliography

Capra,Fritjof,Theweboflife:Anewsynthesisofmindandmatter(London,Flamingo,1996).

Krishnamurti,Jiddu,Recognizeyourself(Beijing,QunyanPublishingHouse,2004).

Overall,Christine, Ethicsandhumanreproduction:Afeminist analysis(Routledge,2013).

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