Designer Babies.

  • itsmorgan

    itsmorgan (100)

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    So I recently had to do a research project for my college English project, and since I already did a project on animal testing my senior year of high school, I picked the controversy on designer babies.

    The two sides are should we have the option of altering the DNA of fetus' in order to achieve a certain child or should we leave it up to 'God' or nature.

    Starting with being pro designer babies. You could completely eliminate genes that cause diseases or mental illnesses such as cancer or mental retardation. Obesity will be wiped from our DNA system. The thing that makes bad people do bad things will no longer be there.

    Now the against designer babies. Of course this procedure with be outrageously expensive. Bill Gates and Angelina Jolie type people will be able to afford this. So while the rich as producing babies that are smart, good-looking, and athletic, that doesn't leave much to compete for us middle class people and eventually the lower class will be living with the rats because the Ken and Barbies of the world will be taking over.

    It also doesn't leave for much diversity. Soon everyone will be blonde, tan, size 0, with blue eyes and perfect teeth. We'll all be mimics of one another. No uniqueness.

    I'm not even going to go into the whole it's messing with the way 'God' wants you to look.

    If I had a chance to choose my future kids DNA, I would only use to to make sure s/he grew up healthy.

    What do you think?
    August 23rd, 2013 at 06:11am
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

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    I think I'd rather get an abortion than alter the DNA of a child with a serious problem, like cancer. I don't know how much of this you could do without screwing up the fetus.
    August 24th, 2013 at 03:45am
  • Sansa Stark

    Sansa Stark (930)

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    It's not about God, it's about human trying to be powerful in ways that are just messed up.
    August 26th, 2013 at 05:31pm
  • wxyz

    wxyz (240)

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    itsmorgan:
    Obesity will be wiped from our DNA system. The thing that makes bad people do bad things will no longer be there.
    I'm fairly sure obesity isn't 100% genetic, and I would be very sceptical of the idea that our DNA is entirely responsible for our bad choices/natures. I don't think Hitler and Stalin did the things they did because of their genetic makeup. Sociopathy is probably the only thing that could perhaps apply here.
    itsmorgan:
    Now the against designer babies. Of course this procedure with be outrageously expensive. Bill Gates and Angelina Jolie type people will be able to afford this. So while the rich as producing babies that are smart, good-looking, and athletic, that doesn't leave much to compete for us middle class people and eventually the lower class will be living with the rats because the Ken and Barbies of the world will be taking over.
    There are so many problems with this. For a start, while there is some kind of DNA-related factor in how well we process/store information, intelligence is also decided environmentally to a large extent; it comes about in relation to education quality and the way we focus on education and other tasks. Cerebral development, I would say, can be achieved much more efficiently in the early stages of a child's natal life than with DNA manipulation. The same goes for athleticism. While there may be some genetic influence on the body's predisposition for athletic ability, much of it is down to how active you are during your life. Anyone can be fit and healthy to athletic standards if they wish to be. As for good looks, well, they are subjective, are they not? It's a cliché, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And changing/enhancing your appearance with clothes and products is, again, something you can easily do during your life. I don't really see how anyone would be motivated to go through the "designer babies" process instead of encouraging their kids to be smart (in both the intelligent and aesthetic senses) and athletic while raising them, especially considering the ridiculous cost.
    August 26th, 2013 at 08:26pm
  • the god of thunder.

    the god of thunder. (300)

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    Alex; periphery.:
    I'm fairly sure obesity isn't 100% genetic, and I would be very sceptical of the idea that our DNA is entirely responsible for our bad choices/natures. I don't think Hitler and Stalin did the things they did because of their genetic makeup. Sociopathy is probably the only thing that could perhaps apply here.
    We know Hitler at least did have a sociopathic disorder, which tends to mean abnormal brain chemistry/imbalanced levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin that don't allow him to feel empathetic or guilt over his actions, and that tends to be regulated genetically. If it were possible to even analyze what genes play a hand in that, it might prevent "bad nature" from being present- but I agree, it wouldn't deter people from consciously making bad decisions.

    On another note, I think it would be cool if you could examine the individual dna within sperm and egg cells, and then somehow see the possible physical outcomes for a child if those two specific ones came together. XD I have no idea how that is even fathomable, though.
    September 1st, 2013 at 04:14am
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

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    @ Double Infinity.
    I don't think that is scientifically possible yet, but it would be cool. It would certainly be something to consider when deciding to get married because if you knew all your kids with this person were going to be sociopathic murderers, you might consider adoption.
    September 1st, 2013 at 04:35am
  • the god of thunder.

    the god of thunder. (300)

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    @ dru vs. slut shaming
    lmfao yeah, really.

    I don't know how to factor ethics into it. Selectively choosing which genes you want to form a child doesn't seem manipulative enough to raise controversy, but I think for the people who believe in fate and/or God's will, it might make people uncomfortable. Think
    Not to mention possibly leading to the genetic manipulation of all or most babies, which could happen if it's so new that it doesn't get regulated. Shifty I'm wary of this government's decision making skills.
    September 1st, 2013 at 05:28am
  • pearlhunter

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    I realise that this is a bit of a jump, but designer babies makes me think of the film Gattaca and the idea that having the 'perfect healthy child' will eventually spread through society and the structures of state, law and the market and lead to discrimination for anyone who isn't a designer baby or perhaps conflict between the two groups. A little extreme I'll admit, but I'd say it's one of many possible futures designer babies could bring.

    I'm not saying I'm 100% against it, I just know that I personally wouldn't do it. Oh and if you haven't seen Gattaca I recommend it, it's a really good film :)
    December 8th, 2013 at 04:18am
  • wish on a firefly

    wish on a firefly (885)

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    I think I wouldn't want to choose what my future children look like. I don't know why, but that seems really awkward. I'd rather leave it up to chance/fate or whatever instead of forcing my baby to look like my ideal dream child.
    September 15th, 2014 at 07:24pm
  • Valerie.

    Valerie. (115)

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    dru is beautiful.:
    I think I'd rather get an abortion than alter the DNA of a child with a serious problem, like cancer. I don't know how much of this you could do without screwing up the fetus.
    I'd rather have an abortion too but only if it's early in the pregnancy. I don't really know how altering DNA of an unborn child works but if problems were discovered later on and they were still able to do it then I would definitely keep the baby.
    September 22nd, 2014 at 10:52am