“Man does not actually produce variability; he only unintentionally exposes organic beings to new conditions of life, and then nature acts of the organization, and causes variability.”
- Charles Darwin, Origin of Species, First Edition, 1859
Darwin plainly states the fact that we, as humans, who are simultaneously the most stupid and intelligent beings, disregard the vulnerability we expose when setting up these “organic beings” to reproduce. Dogs, for instance, have been domesticated and bred into hundreds of breeds, often times reflecting the use in which they were intended for, as well as the climate in which they were bred. The dogs were born to the liking of the keeper, but again, as much as humans were the dominant species, subtle characteristics were passed down through each generation. Consider the Great Dane, or any other large breed canine, and their likeliness to take on a short life. Man did not intend on producing an animal with such a short life span, nor did he intend on having hound dogs equipped with such a poor circulation system in comparison to working class dogs, such as the Siberian Husky. The cross-breeding of the Siberian Husky and various hound breeds to create the Alaskan Husky has caused a life-threatening fault in certain lines of the Alaskan Husky. It is designed for strenuous endurance and speed, a trait which makes a healthy circulation system necessary; but when combined with traits of a breed not designed for such activity, the animal then, in some circumstances, suffers from a stroke -- a situation unfamiliar to either the Siberian Husky or the hound. The hound had exceptional speed, so man was convinced to mix blood lines with that of the Husky, an animal imbedded with an instinct to run. The Alaskan Husky was bred for man’s recreation and sport, and as Darwin explains, man “unintentionally exposes organic beings to new conditions.” The context could be taken in either aspect -- good or bad -- but it is in our error and ignorance, do we overlook the subtle traits that cause harm the organic being we‘ve come to “produce.” Is it plausible to consider that we treat ourselves the same way we treat the animals we select for breeding? Do we condition ourselves in our habitat and pass down harmful genetic traits? In some circumstances, we do pass on these traits, but are we beyond the rest of the other species to succeed, despite the presence of life-threatening diseases? We’ve come to adapt to all sorts of conditions, with help of the creation of our own tools, and adaptation is the key for survival. How we ensure our survival, with disease and adaptation -- two contrasting traits conflicting with each other?