Dear New Humanity:
You're about to take a historic step and experience our products, a feat that has never been achieved by traditional humans.
You will be able to enjoy delicious meat without sacrificing the lives of any animals!
Explore our product line.
Whether it's pork, beef, chicken, or even game, we can produce this meat without slaughter through our "infinite natural cell proliferation" technology.
This is not only an innovation, but also a great contribution to animal welfare.
Imagine being at a gathering of animal protection organizations where you can proudly savor a delicious steak without worrying about any ethical burden.
Because our technology ensures that every bite of meat you enjoy is not directly or indirectly harmed to the animal.
Our "karma-free" meat** is the perfect way to satisfy your gourmet cravings.
In addition to this, we are committed to promoting this ethical way of consuming meat globally.
Although the brochure in my hand is a little worn, it is a testimony to the new concept from five years ago.
In the digital age, paper brochures may not be a common sight anymore.
The brochure shows the clean environment of the factory, where there are no human workers, avoiding the risk of microbial contamination.
Flip to the next page and you'll find carefully cultivated meat balls, tantalizing steaks drizzled with red wine sauce, and heartwarming images of children of different skin tones holding hands.
Another page shows a tranquil meadow with cattle grazing leisurely under the blue sky and white clouds.
There is no cloud over the grassland, and the phrase "cattle have finally been freed from the cruel fate of producing meat for humans" floats in the air in hollow words, conveying people's deep concern for the well-being of animals.
You're looking at something unpleasant. ”
A hoarse voice interrupted my thoughts.
I looked up and saw an older man sitting next to me, wearing an outdated jacket with a hint of displeasure in his eyes.
He gave me a hard glance at the brochure in my hand before spitting the smoke into the ceiling.
He's a smoker.
I remind you that in the place where we are about to go, it is better not to take out such a thing. ”
I understand. ”
Thank you for your understanding. ”
With that, he lit another cigarette and took a deep breath.
In this day and age, people who smoke with cigarettes are already very rare.
Nicotine ingestors have become rare, and even fewer adhere to this traditional way of smoking.
In short, even considering his age, he is an old man of an era.
But his outfit seems to complement the atmosphere here.
This is a members-only club located in the basement of an office area, with no conspicuous signage, and its presence is barely visible from the outside.
As soon as you walk in, you feel like you have traveled back in time to the bar of the early 21st century, and the retro layout of the space is eye-catching.
He looked around, then gently flicked the ash into the ashtray on the bar.
The ashtray, an item that is almost extinct in modern times, I didn't quite understand its purpose when I first came here.
He ordered a cup of coffee, and the cover of the menu was bound in leather, which still retained the texture and pores of animal **.
The menu lists a variety of spirits, as well as drinks with high caffeine strengths, with only ** next to them, but no hints about the possible risks associated with consuming caffeine or alcohol.
My eyes were drawn to a wooden bookshelf in the corner of the room, filled with paper books.
I remember learning as a child that the production process of paper books is extremely environmentally unfriendly, it relies on massive deforestation, and this method of disseminating information has been considered inefficient and unethical in the 21st century.
The shelves display a number of works that are now considered to contain extreme violence and ** content.
An old-fashioned LCD TV hangs on the wall next to it, and it is ** Hollywood movies that are no longer allowed in modern society.
It is as if it is a space where time has stood still, and where the way of life that has been rejected by modern society has been preserved.
What is considered bad to the outside world is still alive and well here.
That's why I love it here, and I was so happy when I was designated to meet here.
I frequented this shop. ”
Oh, yes. ”
His answer seemed a little perfunctory, but he seemed to have a certain affection for me.
There was an evaluative look in his eyes, and of course, it all kept the boundaries of politeness.
Wang Teng introduced me. ”
Well, I know. ”
He nodded slightly in approval.
A petite woman quietly walked over from the corner seat and sat next to me with a smile on her face.
She has an Eastern European face, her age is difficult to judge, and she even gives people the feeling of a girl.
Sorry, but this is a small test. ”
She was very friendly at the beginning but didn't put any pressure on me.
She seems to have a natural charm that makes people approachable.
The man sitting across from me was obviously the janitor here, and I quickly realized that she was the one who had come to take care of me.
I can tell at a glance that you're not the kind of stupid person. ”
I didn't respond, just listened quietly.
I can't just do business with anyone. ”
She took out a terminal device and looked at me as she operated it.
I remained silent.
Humans are the biggest risk. Well, you need to be self-aware and understand what you're doing. You're not bad, of course, you know it's illegal, right? ”
I nodded.
This is not a felony, and even if caught, it is unlikely that he will be sentenced. But you have to know that this kind of behavior is strongly condemned by society. ”
I nodded again.
There are many people in this world who do not do any good deeds, but think they are good people. They will look out there for bad guys to fight as a way to prove their morality. You could be the target of such an attack. ”
I nodded a third time, and she stared into my eyes.
The test seems to be over.
After I was confirmed as a customer, the janitor man silently snuffed out his cigarette and settled the bill for the three of us without saying anything more.
He reminded me: "As I said before, once you leave this store, your terminal device will not be able to connect to the Internet. It is not appropriate to leave location information. ”
As we left, his tone became polite.
He led me to the parked car at the door and got into the driver's seat himself.
The car's autopilot system appears to have been specially modified.
I tried to pull out my device, but I couldn't connect to the network.
Please don't leave us lightly. The woman sitting next to me handed me a few notes, "You're going to have some minor trouble." In an office building, the elevator you're riding in will break down and you'll be trapped inside for hours. The security guards will eventually rescue you, but you'll have to rest until the evening because of the dizziness. After that, someone from the elevator maintenance company will send you home. Your memory of these details will be very vague, and the state at that time will not be very good. ”
I understand. ”
This is the name of the building, this is the business card of the person in charge of security at the time, and this is the business card of the staff of the maintenance company, these are all real information, so please do not disclose them casually. You'll receive an apology email from them afterwards, but you don't need to reply. ”
I looked out the window and there was a huge display on an old building advertising for "karmaless" meat.
The ads are so elaborate that they barely feel like they're commercials, a style that is unique to businesses that no longer need to advertise their names.
At first, "karma-free" meat** products were not popular.
They tried to market meat products in the same way as selling medical equipment, which made many people resist.
Humans seem to be quite conservative when it comes to food.
Their commercials are somewhat controversial and even religious, which has sparked some controversy.
However, it is precisely this controversial nature that has led to their rapid rise in popularity.
Still, the only people who were initially willing to buy their products were ardent conservationists.
What they call "infinitely proliferating natural cells" is actually what we commonly refer to as tumor cells.
Their product is meat made by culturing modified tumor cells.
In terms of meat production, this method is similar to traditional animal husbandry, but it consumes much less resources because it does not need to think about structures such as bones, teeth, etc., and does not need to consume energy to maintain movement.
At least, that's what their brochure says.
Their products have what economists call economies of scale.
That is, the larger the scale of production, the higher the efficiency, and the lower the unit cost.
The cost of raising a pig alone may be lower than growing the same amount of cells in the lab, but if it is large-scale farming, which is more economical than large-scale cell culture?
In fact, as the number of customers increases, so does their factory, and the "meat" produced is getting cheaper and cheaper.
They have an advantage in the market with efficient, large-scale production methods, coupled with patent protection.
They win the bet when they produce less meat than conventionally farmed meat.
When fast-food restaurants began to adopt their products, and when children who grew up eating this meat had the ability to consume freely, they became the mainstream of the market.
Once they became mainstream, they acquired a new kind of ** - ethics.
Behind technological progress is a business driver.
Business is forever chasing technology, providing funding to accelerate its development.
Advances in technology, in turn, drive business.
And behind all this, there are always ethical issues.
Let's get back to the topic of tobacco.
Originally, the indigenous people used tobacco, and after Columbus discovered it, it was used as a medicine, more or less as something beneficial.
Over time, tobacco began to be produced on a large scale and became a commodity.
Subsequently, the trend of non-smoking gradually increased, and tobacco was gradually seen as a harmful thing.
By the beginning of the 21st century, this value had become mainstream.
This transformation took about 500 years.
What was once considered good is eventually rejected as evil.
This kind of change is not uncommon in the history of the development of various technologies.
For example, the guillotine was originally considered a humane form of execution, but it was later seen as cruel and gradually faded from the stage of history.
The same goes for the fate of the electric chair.
Every time a new technology emerges, ethics change with it.
As long as the rate of change far exceeds the human life cycle, it is acceptable.
But now, life expectancy has increased dramatically, and the rate of technological progress is increasing exponentially.
The advent of "karma-free" meat, which allows people to enjoy meat without killing animals, has undoubtedly increased people's choices.
As a result, traditional animal husbandry gradually lost its original status and became less important.
The TV scene of slaughtering animals for meat was no longer the case, and this change was completed in less than half a century.
When the younger generation began to feel disgusted with steaks containing fascia and fat, this attitude was initially seen as an exception, but soon became common.
Meat produced in the traditional way has gradually become non-everyday and is reserved only by gourmets and those who adhere to traditional cooking, and it has almost become a hobby.
There is a general perception in society that the behavior of these people is immoral.
In some so-called advanced regions, meat consumption is even banned altogether, and the process is shorter.
Many young people who have only eaten cultured meat have a hard time understanding why animals are killed in order to eat meat.
For them, such behavior is incomprehensible and even sinful.
The car I was riding in deliberately took some unnecessary detours and came to a dilapidated residential area on the outskirts of the city.
It used to be a large area of new housing, with the same period of architecture and the same class of residents moving in in droves and growing old together.
In the midst of this monotonous scene, there is a large new building that stands out, a three-story white square building with a design so simple that it is almost impossible to remember.
The car drove into the building.
You're here, here. ”
The place is about the size of a small privately run shop, a bit smaller than I expected.
Four round tables were neatly arranged, and my friend Wang Teng beckoned to me at one of them.
My place is right next to him.
Female members are rare, and even fewer are younger. Wang Teng said with a smile.
His smile was unreserved, very different from the usual attitude of appearing tired of everything.
Could it be true that eating such forbidden real meat can make people so happy?
I felt very happy, not just happy, but more like a sense of satisfaction. We seem to be missing something now, and eating this meat makes up for that feeling. ”
Is it because of the death of animals? ”
No, I should say, it's a sense of satisfaction. ”
Wang Teng, an antique dealer in his forties, relied on dolls made of petroleum resin mass-produced at the end of the last century to sell them to collectors for a living.
He still looks almost young and has apparently undergone a perfect anti-aging treatment.
Looking around, the guests all seemed to be wealthy.
It's no surprise that they can afford the club's expensive dues.
Most of them are middle-aged to elderly, and there are some famous actors among them.
Everyone was smiling and in an unusually happy mood.
They don't care even if exposed to the possibility of losing their social status.
Can these illegal livestock meat dishes really bring them such joy?
Maybe it's an instinctive addition. Ah, it's hard to put into words how precise that feeling is. You can only understand it if you eat it. Or, some people may still not understand. Most people probably don't understand it. That's why it's happening now. But just because most people don't understand, doesn't mean there's no value here. ”
Wang Teng probably explained it this way.
I hope I understand, and that's why I'm here. I said.
I've never tasted meat that has been slaughtered.
This is from the very first generation.
It's coming, it's coming. ”
The real steak was finally served.
I would like to talk about "Xiaobai".
Listen to me, guys.
Shiro is a black cat, a highly elaborate cat-shaped robotic pet.
Its chemical fiber fur is fluffy and warm, and it is almost like a real cat in its arms.
That softness comes from silicone rubber, while warmth is achieved by the principle of electric heating.
The real White used to be a real black cat, a hybrid black cat with real flesh and fur.
Mechanical novices are its replacement.
The real Xiaobai was personally sent to the pet disposal site in the city and euthanized.
At first, when reptiles and amphibians were banned as pets, I didn't feel much because I wasn't interested in them.
Why ban it?
Because they prey on insects and small animals, raising them means killing other lives, which is considered unethical.
This argument sounds plausible.
Of course, pet lovers will**, but they are a minority after all, and they can't stop the tide of the times.
So, what about their pets all gone?
Dogs, on the other hand, seem to be more adaptable to the changing times.
In ancient times, dogs shared prey with humans.
By the last century, dogs were fed a formula diet made from kangaroos and cows. And now, dogs eat ** made from cultured meat.
They seem to be able to keep pace with the times and adapt to these changes.
The problem arises in cats.
Cats are not as docile as dogs, and rather, some cats are able to adapt smoothly to the new style of cultured meat, but many are completely unacceptable.
The reason for this is still unknown.
Xiaobai does not accept "karma-free" meat products.
Therefore, I can only buy it canned fish and canned livestock meat.
Although these cans are slightly more expensive, they can still be bought.
However, as more and more countries ban animal husbandry, so do the ** of these canned foods, which eventually become difficult to buy.
One day, these cans really won't be available because they have become illegal products.
The fuse was a group of people who actually sold banned meat in the name of pet food.
They secretly raised chickens, ** chicken, and as a result, they were caught, and the chickens were all euthanized.
Subsequently, pet food was required to implement the same standards as human food, prohibiting the use of any meat from slaughtered animals.
Although cat owners objected to this, to no avail.
Interestingly, some reptile owners even actively support this regulation.
I can't find food for Xiaobai anymore.
I spent a lot of money, tried various dubious channels, and bought pet food a few times, but to no avail.
Xiaobai is getting thinner and thinner.
I had a discussion with my partner and the conclusion was already obvious.
We decided that for the sake of Xiaobai and for ourselves, we had to make a difficult choice.
Xiaobai was an abandoned kitten that my partner picked up at the time.
It was very weak at the time and my partner had never had a cat.
Despite this, we did our best to get Xiaobai back to health.
At that time, Xiaobai was still a kitten, and we were still students.
Making the decision to kill Xiaobai means the end of a phase in our lives.
It's undoubtedly painful, but it also seems acceptable.
As we took Xiaobai to the shelter, a strange man walked by and introduced himself to me that he worked for a company that provided pet funeral services.
He offered to ask a professional to hold a small funeral for the cat.
Some companies offer funeral services for different religious beliefs, others scatter pets' ashes on specially prepared uninhabited island beaches, and even some analyze the pet's genetic code.
These services sound like ridiculous jokes.
When I said that I wanted to see Xiaobai euthanized with my own eyes, the staff seemed very reluctant and repeatedly persuaded me to change my mind.
Do you really want to watch it? The shelter worker wearing a mask asked.
It doesn't matter, it's euthanasia, it won't be painful, it's like falling asleep. "The staff comforted me.
How can you be sure it won't be painful? I asked.
First, it will inject drugs to numb its pain-feeling function. The staff explained.
How do you know it's really paralyzed? I continued to ask.
The staff was silent for a few seconds, then said: "This is a proven, experimental conclusion." ”
On the other side of the glass window, Xiaobai fell asleep as quickly as a battery drain, without a trace of pain.
Half a month later, Xiaobai's body returned to me in the form of calcite.
It was a small box containing clear crystals, which contained calcium carbonate crystals extracted from the ashes.
The accompanying instructions state that these crystals can be made into pendants or keychains upon request.
I hid them in the deepest part of the drawer.
When I first started raising Xiaobai and feeding him canned food, I never felt like I was doing anything bad.
I'm just having a cat, and having a cat isn't a bad thing in itself.
At least not so long ago.
A month later, Xiaobai appeared in another form in my life - my partner bought a mechanical Xiaobai.
It's exactly the same as a real white. By analyzing Xiaobai's ** and **, we completely copied its skeleton and simulated its character as much as possible. ”
Indeed, it looks exactly like Xiaobai, except that it is no longer thin.
I am very grateful for her kindness and know that it can be expensive to customize a robot pet like this.
Do you have anything not to like? The partner asked.
I can't say it myself ** dissatisfied.
It looks the same as Xiaobai, feels the same warmth, and moves the same. The only difference is that it doesn't eat meat, but needs to be recharged. That's just the difference. ”
The mechanical novice jumped on the table, then jumped onto my knees, just like the real novice.
Look, isn't it the same? ”
This is how our relationship ended.
Don't you eat it? "The waiter came over.
I suddenly came back to my senses and found myself still immersed in the memories I had just had.
In front of him is a plate of steak.
The members around me looked at me strangely.
Wang Teng gently touched me with his elbow, and I realized that it is not allowed to eat meat here.
Sorry, I was distracted. Something happened. ”
The steak in front of me was different from the meat I was familiar with, it was not even.
Instead of the kind of fat that is evenly distributed in the cellular tissue, it is concentrated at the edge of the slice, and the meat is cut into several pieces with a membrane in the middle.
There are also some structures that resemble blood vessels, oozing a little red juice.
I put the meat in my mouth, and the atmosphere around me eased immediately.
I knew I was accepted by them, and some even started applauding.
But I'm still confused.
I can't understand the reason why Xiaobai refuses to eat cultured meat mentioned by Wang Teng.
In short, this is not where I belong.
I don't think I can understand those who stick to tradition.
But even if I don't understand it, there's definitely a reason for it here.
The people around him smiled kindly.
However, this harmonious atmosphere was broken by the sudden intrusion of the police.
I was left here and interrogated.
The police were much more polite than I expected, probably because I was very cooperative.
I didn't intend to hide anything.
I don't crave that piece of meat, I'm here for other reasons, but I can't tell what it is.
After some questioning, the detective's attitude was noticeably softened.
My charges were only minor, and since the evidence had already been digested by me, they had no clue about eating meat.
You do have an introspective attitude. "The detective complimented me.
Can I go home? I asked.
We'll have to wait a while. He replied.
I need to go back and recharge my batteries. I said.
Xiaobai? "My cat. ”
Alive? "No, it's mechanical. I've got to recharge it. ”
Otherwise it will stop functioning. ”
Right. "That cat is a machine, right? ”
Right. "Battery-powered, right? The older detective asked, "That's fine." It doesn't matter if you leave it alone. Even if the battery is dead, won't it still work as it used when it is fully charged? Because it's a machine. It also doesn't feel pain or other sensations, it's just a machine anyway. ”
I closed my eyes and imagined that in the empty room, Xiaobai slowly stopped running.