Nearing designer babies

[blackheart]

Even admitting a movie can be seen as the authority on how to tell if someone has been genetically modified, I still do not see how you can tell that someone has perfect genes because he's been modified or simply because he got lucky at birth.

Strong heart, healthy lungs, perfec eyesight, etc. Well I suppose you couldn't distinguish those who are modified and those who are naturally healthy, but it would be a good indicator.

And I also, provided everybody has access to that technology, do not see anything wrong in trying to suppress defective genes. And employers already want the intelligent, healthy elite.

Yes they do, but the point is employers can also use such information to discriminate

Ah. What if will and desire were genetically transmitted?

Then future generations will have no problem with it

 

[Masquerouge]

Yes they do, but the point is employers can also use such information to discriminate

Aren't smokers discriminated against already?

 

[Dann]

Hmm... I think I just might be in time to take advantage of this when the time comes.

I want twins, a boy and a girl.

The boy should have:
1) no genetic defects or diseases
2) perfect health well into old age, assuming he doesn't go into a destructive lifestyle
3) mix of my and his mother's looks
4) my height
5) some male athlete's physique, given that he will exercise of course
6) my skin tone
7) black hair
8) a full head of hair into his old age
9) genius IQ

The girl should have:
1) no genetic defects or diseases
2) perfect health well into old age, assuming she doesn't go into a destructive lifestyle
3) her mother's looks
4) her mother's height
5) some slim and curvy babe's figure, given that she'll work on it too of course
6) her mother's skin tone
7) brown hair
8) C cup boobs at the very least
9) genius IQ

See where I'm going?

 

[WillJ]

See where I'm going?

I see where you're going and I like it.

The onlhy flaw with letting people decide of their kid's genes is that some wackos are going to create weirdos (same people that give funny names to their kids).
Other than that, with rather responsible people, I really do not see anything wrong with selecting the genes for your kid, even selecting what he will look like.

I'm pretty much in agreement with this.

 

[Chieftess]

It's definately not ethical, if not a slippery slope. (Even the Catholic Church is against it - but that's a seperate debate for another thread for all you Curts and Perfections out there. ).

There has been one time in history where a nation even tried to genetically alter a region - although in a brute force way. Now, it can even be done subtly. Right now, if it's $70,000 for the "perfect baby", I don't think many people -- maybe except the rich -- will go for it.

Imagine these scenarios:


Scenario 1: Several of the wealthy elite, especially those with corporate interests, decide to form a family line of "intellectually business minded" children. Maybe not much to go on there, as genetically, their genes may naturally be passed anyway, but this ensures it 100%. Kind of an insurence policy to pass the family business along.

Scenario 2: The price comes down, and everyone's doing it. Now, You've got maybe, 80% of the population that are doctors, musicians, lawyers, scientists. Great, but then you're lacking manual labor. It'll be an economic change.

Scenario 3: The government regulates a defined set of genetic characteristic that a child can be. This may wind up creating many "twins" if the genetic code is specific enough that they're virtually the same. (or some computer program re-programs it that way) Put this in the hands of say, a communist govenment, and you may have a "Utopian's Dream", where a certain, predictable percentage of the population will have one interest over another.

Scenario 4: I'll just toss out a "nightmare scenario" for all of you. Although like #3, the government goes to the extreme. They create an intelligent class of people to be doctors, lawyers, scientists, and whatnot. Now, they also create a lower class of the gene pool where people actually have lower intelligence, and are very submissive (and naive). The only thing they have going for them is being resistent to the pain of manual labor. Their genes are also programmed that they do not sleep, so that they are forced to work 24/7. They could also completely remove people's gene that controls how religious or non-religous they are (yes, they actually found that gene).

 

[Kozmos]

The movie Gattaca explains these two situations very well. Employers can screen you via blood tests and pee tests to see if your genes are up to standards because as explained by the movie, no one wants to hire someone with a genetic defect that will make them vulernable to heart disease and have a probable death at a young age. Employers would want the genetically intelligent elite and healthy.

But also in the movie, there is one brother who is naturally conceived and one who was genetically "enhanced". The natural brother did have many doors closed to him, but through hard work and making a deal to assume the identify of a genetic elite, the natural one managed to beat out other genetic elites because he had the will and desire.

Yeah I've seen the film.

 

[Elrohir]

I think changing the sex of your baby before it is born is just as unethical as if you had a doctor take a knife, and do it after your child was born. In other words, completely unethical.

If you're modifying their genes to get rid of debilitating or fatal diseases, fine. But modifying them to suit your whims is a very dangerous path to follow.

 

[North King]

They could also completely remove people's gene that controls how religious or non-religous they are (yes, they actually found that gene).

Source? I highly doubt that.

 

[Shylock]

Making choices like that is very very selfish and egotistical.
Let nature take it's course.


I'd would enjoy seeing violent opposition to any attempt of these freaks claiming supieriority over us normies.

 

[Erik Mesoy]

Source? I highly doubt that.

Seconded. I believe The Economist described the "God Gene" as "A gene which, depending on any number of socio-economic factors, including the drinking history of your parents, may influence any number of things, from joining the Green Party to being an anarchist."

 

[classical_hero]

Welcome to the brave world of Nazi Germany. Wait this is not Germany, but modern day. We obviously have not learnt the lessons of Nazi Germany and thus we will make the same mistakes that happened back then. This is a frightening thing.

 

[CaptainF]

Welcome to the brave world of Nazi Germany. Wait this is not Germany, but modern day. We obviously have not learnt the lessons of Nazi Germany and thus we will make the same mistakes that happened back then. This is a frightening thing.

It does bear a funny resemblance to Eugenics now don't it?

Yeah, this wouldn't be something i'd do. I don't think i'd want a perfect child, that would make me feel uneasy knowing I payed $70,000 just to eff with my childs' traits.

Plus, the inequality of it all, what with only the rich being able to afford perfect children...scary.

 

[Perfection]

Gender selection techniques have been around for a long time, this is just the latest and quickest. Provided that we can maintain a fairly even gender ratio, I don't see significant problems in gender selection. Heck if it were cheap efficient and noninvasive I'd probobly select my second child to be of opposite gender to my first (the two-pack idea is rather appealing).

 

[CurtSibling]

I think that genetic selection of traits will never really take off. I don't want a child who is genetically superior, with good looks and strength and intelligence; I want a child who carries my genes and resembles me. That is what parenthood is about.

Good for you.

So you choose to damn your children with your flaws?

I would want a kid that will grow to be a superior human.

That way I will help create an atheistic master-race!

 

[CurtSibling]

Welcome to the brave world of Nazi Germany. Wait this is not Germany, but modern day. We obviously have not learnt the lessons of Nazi Germany and thus we will make the same mistakes that happened back then. This is a frightening thing.

To give you some reality, most of our initial advances in plastic surgery
and genetics were taken from WW2 concentration camp research.

Nazi Germany's discoveries were commercialised years ago...

 

[Simon Darkshade]

It sounds interesting, although there is a lot of moral murkiness inherent.
If it can be done effectively and ethically, then jolly good. I will personally take about 62 tall strapping blond sons and 36 healthy blond daughters who can bear plenty of sons for the cause and country. Do they take American Express?

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

HMM I am not to concerned. As long as it doesn't go to far. Although it should be used to fight genetic disease. It would be cool if someone made a super CIVing baby though

 

[Simon Darkshade]

It would be cool if someone made a super CIVing baby though

The Thule Society patched Curt Sibling together using a few old watering cans and various other odds and ends...Will that do?

 

[Oerdin]

Gattaca was a good movie though more then a little unrealistic. I can't wait for designer babies though since it will increase the supply of hot blondes.

 

[CurtSibling]

The Thule Society patched Curt Sibling together using a few old watering cans and various other odds and ends...Will that do?

It is worth mentioning that those were the finest SS-issue watering cans, made by blonde maidens in the Rhineland!