Donna Haraway “Cyborgs”

This article examines the concept of a “cyborg” from the viewpoint of Donna Haraway, a biologist writing in the 1980s. Haraway examines the way that humans interact with technology, and how a fusion of these two things reflects on the greater culture/nature question. Similar to Vilaca, Haraway demonstrates the fluidity present in the concept of the body and it’s interaction with the environment, by presenting the concept of a cyborg. Clones, GMO’s, and immunizations could all be potential examples of science and technology fusing and altering the human body. Through a separate thought process, the way that humans use technology and our increasing dependence on technology can also be an extension of how we are cyborgs. Haraway creatively describes this phenomenon saying that, “our machines are disturbingly lively, and we ourselves are frighteningly inert.” To me, this was one of the most thought-provoking aspects of this article. In Western thought the construction of the body is often very rigid, and this statement forces the reader to re-examine whether the boundary between technology and humans is as inflexible as once believed. Haraway urges the reader to be comfortable living in flux, without having clear boundaries separating concepts into binaries. For Haraway, the ultimate purpose of this writing is to apply this concept to the greater understanding of feminism, saying that feminists should also embrace this ambiguity and use it as a tool for enhancement and self-actualization.