Why is DNA often promoted as being the human operating system by science and the media?

Question

For example, people often believe, if someone has a cancer gene then it's their destiny to one day get cancer.

The truth is, our DNA is nothing but a library within a cell and regardless of what information our DNA contains, a specific gene will only ever be activated once an environmental situation occurs that triggers the creation of that gene.

Our DNA resides Inside the nucleus of a cell and each DNA strand is covered by a protein and this protein will only reveal the specific strand of DNA to be created once an external environmental source has binded to the protein.

In other words, you could be born with a cancer gene in your DNA but this gene will only become activated when there's been a change in your outside environment that triggers this activation. So, even with a cancer gene, you could very easily go your whole life without cancer as its not an indication of your destiny.

DNA is not self-activating, it cannot turn itself on and off.

The mainstream media has promoted our DNA as being the human operating system but this is totally wrong. Our DNA is more like our hard-drive that contains all of our information to copy, it's like a human back-up drive that contains the blue-prints for everything to reproduce when the environment we're in demands it.

In my opinion, this very simple, basic truth highlights why the human genome project was massively over-rated in its importance. Of course, DNA is still very important but its not the holy grail of life it was initially thought to be.

Answer 1

DNA is promoted by the media as an operating system because its basically what the body follows to produce certain proteins and other chemicals necessary for communication between cells, reproduction,etc....

In reality everyone has some cancerous cells inside them its really just up to the body's ability for the cells to performer apoptosis.

DNA is not self activation it is what a person's environment is, what they eats, and their lifestyle that activates their cancerous genes.

Media and science simplify things for the public to more easily understand DNA.

Its like sperm and egg. Sperm are thought of in the media as strong swimmers who go and search out the egg however they are in reality very weak and are in reality directed by the egg.

Media and science simplify things to make it easier for the average person.

Answer 2

Well, the human genome project was definitely a big deal. It allowed scientists to know what the function of certain genes were which could allow them to better target specific proteins. For example, the fact that C. Elegans worms have been completely mapped out, makes it so much easier for a research to know what genes are conserved within humans and these worms.



Also, DNA can be though of as self-activating. The reason for this is because DNA can increase/decrease the rate of transcription of certain gene products depending on the environmental stimuli. About your first statement, certain genes of DNA are always being transcribed. For example, proteins required to keep the body going and functioning, can be expressed all the time. There are genes like these and are called constitutively expressed.



There is no such thing as a "cancer gene". You cannot inherit cancer. You can inherit certain factors that may induce the likelihood of cancer, but you inherit a cancer gene. You are born with proto-oncogenes, which when deregulated, are classified as oncogenes.

Answer 3

I'm not going to waste my time writing a short essay to explain to you why your way of thinking is wrong in this particular case, because it is fairly obvious you do not have a background in genomics or sufficient education regarding the subject, otherwise you would not have made certain statements or chosen to phrase your opinions in such a manner.



It's true, the mainstream media does not fully understand the complete picture of how our body operates. It's one of modern society's many problems: the large disconnect between the general public and the scientific community with regards to scientific research and concepts.



I highly suggest you do more research, perhaps take a few university-level genomic and oncology courses if this really interests you.

Answer 4

i think it's about 50/50

media report like this: "he said or she said".



media don't know anything (but that's not innocent) in my view but they repeat. there are experts whose voices are not loud enough?



i'm sure media cannot do much. science itself has promoted that especially as evolutionary theory as much as i know.