Today, it seems as if anything is possible in this technological, revolutionized world where anything can be created and manufactured to enhance the lives of humanity. Technology, combined with medicine, has the ability to create but also the ability to destroy, and this reality is something that we do not acknowledge often enough. Over time, technology has shown us that, in some respects, we better be careful what we wish for. The concept of selective genetic breeding on future generations seems to hold more dangers than benefits.
Selective genetics seemed like a complete fantasy to me several years ago, but I realized recently many of our fantasies are apt and more possible than ever to become reality. Many people think selective genetics is a good idea. Humanity would breed out hereditary diseases or risks for cancers that run in the family, perhaps even one day go so far as to wean out mental health issues. I think it is worth mentioning the benefits humanity would gain, but I think it’s also worth mentioning how catastrophic genetic breeding could be to society.
For starters, altering predisposed genes goes against standard biology practices. By creating and changing a human to be something that he/she was not originally designed to be, how are we supposed to compare these beings to normality? If a large percentage of people in life are modified to change certain abilities and traits, there can be no standard ground for testing one’s abilities for a job or career. Overall, it would be extremely difficult to compare a “normal” person to a modified being.
Extreme bias would emerge based upon whether people support or reject the idea of selective genetics on humans. A new form of discrimination would emerge. Would certain traits give telling signs of a genetically modified person? Many discuss the inherent morality of genetic breeding and tie genetic coding to a god complex. America is comprised on primarily Christian values, hence the hate and discrimination the LGBTQ community receives. With such a backlash against the transgender community, will American society accept someone who was altered before birth?
Other discussions have cropped up around mental or physical disabilities. If the genes show a child is likely to have autism, will autism soon be erased from the spectrum? Does autism fall under traits people see as “undesirable” or “unprofitable” for a child’s success? What does that say about autistic people as a whole, and what would it say about future generations of autistic people – their parents were too poor to “fix” them or that they are “lesser” it terms of social value?
As far as wealth class goes, the wage gap would only increase. Making a choice to create a modified being would inevitably have to cost an extreme amount of money. Only a very small percentage of the population could probably afford this kind of operation, and do we really want any more power in the hands of the 1 percent? Wouldn’t certain traits place the 1 percent’s children at a higher advantage than they already are? In theory, will selective genetics be an option for the public, or will it be a commodity only available to the few?
We need to be careful of what we wish for. It is vital that humanity does not automatically accept technology’s constant design to make life easier. Indeed, in some cases, the advancement of technology and science is not the answer for the betterment of humanity.
