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Sex Robots and Vegan Meat: Adventures at the Frontier of Birth, Food, Sex and Death by Jenny Kleeman
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
5.0
Things are changing, fast. This is a book that deals with a lot of subjects about things that seem to be from a Sci fi novel but is actually in the process right now and might be available in the future. What if you could have a baby that isn't born from a human body, what if we could still eat meat but at the same time not kill animals and so on. I found this to be very interesting and thought provoking and I thought it was well down. Talking about the up sides and downsides and how much of a change it would be. I listened to the audio book and really liked the narrative but I kinda wish I had the physical book as well so I could flick through and read different chapters randomly.
hikingineer's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
It felt quite a bit biased and incomplete. Perhaps, due to journalist credentials, I was expecting more data to go with the story. Instead of dwelving into four areas, perhaps the author could have explored more technologies in fewer/single area.
justjoel's review against another edition
4.0
Despite the somewhat provocative title, this was a really good nonfiction book about cutting-edge technology that is expected to soon impact 4 major parts of the human experience: birth, food, sex, and death.
I'm sure the author or her editors figured sex sells, so they put the sex bit at the beginning, though for my tastes, I think I would have preferred a more chronological approach.
The birth aspect deals with the ability to potentially grow a fetus outside a womb (already done with sheep). What I did like was the author not only talks about the benefits of the technology, she asks questions like how women could be adversely affected and also somewhat liberated from societal expectations.
Food deals with the race to bring a palatable meat substitute to consumer tables, and laid out some pretty interesting science showing how and why our current rates of meat consumption are unsustainable. I can't say that I am converting to veganism, but I am more readily accepting of the idea that I should probably make dietary changes, not only for my own health but for that of the planet. The link between meat consumption and why doctors are loath to prescribe antibiotics these days was interesting to me and something I've never heard before.
The section on sex deals not with—as the title suggests—sex robots, but full-on AI companions who are able to interact in a type of faux relationship with their owners. This raises quite a few concerns for the author, and I found it pretty disturbing as well.
Death deals with the ability to choose the time and place of one's own demise, and several inventions that are designed to let people who are suffering and not enjoying their quality of life to have an option for a painless exit.
Overall, there was a lot of thought-provoking content and some interesting info here, and the author did a good job of using her journalism skills to get at different angles. I felt like one of the sections was a lot weaker than the others, which is the only reason I'm not giving this the highest rating. Still, it'll be one of the nonfiction titles I remember for a while, and probably the best I'll read all year.
4 out of 5 stars
I'm sure the author or her editors figured sex sells, so they put the sex bit at the beginning, though for my tastes, I think I would have preferred a more chronological approach.
The birth aspect deals with the ability to potentially grow a fetus outside a womb (already done with sheep). What I did like was the author not only talks about the benefits of the technology, she asks questions like how women could be adversely affected and also somewhat liberated from societal expectations.
Food deals with the race to bring a palatable meat substitute to consumer tables, and laid out some pretty interesting science showing how and why our current rates of meat consumption are unsustainable. I can't say that I am converting to veganism, but I am more readily accepting of the idea that I should probably make dietary changes, not only for my own health but for that of the planet. The link between meat consumption and why doctors are loath to prescribe antibiotics these days was interesting to me and something I've never heard before.
The section on sex deals not with—as the title suggests—sex robots, but full-on AI companions who are able to interact in a type of faux relationship with their owners. This raises quite a few concerns for the author, and I found it pretty disturbing as well.
Death deals with the ability to choose the time and place of one's own demise, and several inventions that are designed to let people who are suffering and not enjoying their quality of life to have an option for a painless exit.
Overall, there was a lot of thought-provoking content and some interesting info here, and the author did a good job of using her journalism skills to get at different angles. I felt like one of the sections was a lot weaker than the others, which is the only reason I'm not giving this the highest rating. Still, it'll be one of the nonfiction titles I remember for a while, and probably the best I'll read all year.
4 out of 5 stars
hollysmith54's review against another edition
4.0
This is like a channel 4 documentary in a book. Sex robots, vegan meat, ectogenesis, and euthanasia- Jenny Kleeman explores a world of futuristic science happening right now, and the struggle of ethics in development. A bit sensationalist, but as to be expected. A fun and interesting read.
thatonewhoreads's review against another edition
4.0
Kleeman is such a wonderful author! I had such a delight reading this book. I first found her from the Joe Rogan podcast and just had to buy this book, and I’m glad it didn’t disappoint. The biggest reason why I couldn’t give it a 5 star rating was because the characters she interviews in the book are just odd. In a way they believe technology will progress and everything will become acceptable socially which I really beg to differ. Other than that it’s such a great book with so many ethical questions that leaves you thinking for days.
kelciilou's review against another edition
1.75
Guardian authors feminism couldn't be any more privileged and white if it tried.
lizzierose147's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
fast-paced
5.0
Sex Robots and Vegan meat -
This is phenomenal journalism and a compelling and thought-provoking book. Open-minded, comprehensive and consistently nuanced, Kleeman explores the implications of controversial and groundbreaking technology in the fields of birth, food, sex and death - and the implications these technologies will have on our collective understandings of humanity. With a foundation of investigative research spanning several years, and including dozens of stakeholder interviews, Kleeman doesn't shy away from challenging those pioneering sex robots or ectogenetic womb environments on the ethical implications of their innovations.
She encourages us to question our impulse to engineer ever more advanced technological fixes for societal problems that are ultimately themselves artificial and man-made. Indeed, Kleeman invites us to interrogate our values surrounding gender relations, overconsumption and death itself and asks, would it not benefit everyone to change the societal values that drives the market behind the sex dolls or industrial farming industries, instead of than investing billions in advancing the technological frontiers to circumvent our issues, as opposed to solving them at their source?
This is phenomenal journalism and a compelling and thought-provoking book. Open-minded, comprehensive and consistently nuanced, Kleeman explores the implications of controversial and groundbreaking technology in the fields of birth, food, sex and death - and the implications these technologies will have on our collective understandings of humanity. With a foundation of investigative research spanning several years, and including dozens of stakeholder interviews, Kleeman doesn't shy away from challenging those pioneering sex robots or ectogenetic womb environments on the ethical implications of their innovations.
She encourages us to question our impulse to engineer ever more advanced technological fixes for societal problems that are ultimately themselves artificial and man-made. Indeed, Kleeman invites us to interrogate our values surrounding gender relations, overconsumption and death itself and asks, would it not benefit everyone to change the societal values that drives the market behind the sex dolls or industrial farming industries, instead of than investing billions in advancing the technological frontiers to circumvent our issues, as opposed to solving them at their source?