It's gonna be a Gattaca world soon. What are your thoughts on genetic engineering and grandkids?

[Maricel Evasco]

Would you feel uncomfortable about the thought of your grandchildren (future or present) being genetically modified?    such as parents deliberately choosing he traits they want their child to manifest.

Vincent's parents have a second child. This time they conceive through genetic engineering. The two sons, Vincent and Anton, grow up together. Vincent sets out to beat the system from an early age. He competes with his brother in swimming contests and finally wins. He realizes that he can beat the system through hard work, ingenuity and self-determination.   http://hollywoodjesus.com/gattaca_page_2.htm

We eat a lot of genetically modified food. Do you care if you intake is natural or artificially grown?

 

[Krisit]

Maricel, I just had this discussion with an Old TBDer today. I mentioned to him that I agreed to be used as a human guinea pig and be allowed to have my DNA tested but I was to remain anonymous. It was my Medical Insurance that asked if I would be interested. I was so excited with the fact, I was going to be part of a DNA testing that I didn't think about what the long term affects could be to me. 

I went through with the test and pretty soon everyone gave me their opinions that I was probably stepping on a time bomb. What if my DNA let my Medical insurance provider know if I was a potential cancer patient. Would they drop me? Other possibilities...its funny now because my Health Insurance Provider has been aggressive with me on cancer prevention. I never had end results, but what I did get, was a new form asking me permissions to be put in a Government DNA database and I was to remain anonymous. I have already received my second request to see if I have signed the consent form and again they say, I am to remain anonymous. They will be submitting 500,000 others for the testing...

What are your thoughts about this? 

[Maricel Evasco]

Krisit,

Are you prepared to confront the possibility of being a carrier or having an increased potential to manifest a particular disease or syndrome? 

 

Do you there is a possibility that knowing you have a 90% chance of manifesting a disease later in life will feed intro your self-fulfilling prophecy of getting the disease. I am ambivalent where I stand in terms of genetic testing. It certainly can be basis for job discrimination as fell as finding a mate especially if you are young and want to start a family.

[Wendel]

Gattaca disturbed me.  Looking at how quick we are to jump on the plastic surgery bandwagon I can see where our society might be headed in that direction.   Perfection is valued.

It would be good to have the breast cancer gene eradicated from family's DNA, though.

[Maricel Evasco]

The irony is that we may be able to manipulate genes to produce 'super' children, but that doesn't insure that super children will  live super lives. I don't think there is a gene for self motivation or perseverance.