Human possibilities
Introduction
To begin with, I’ll describe the characteristics of the text entitled Human Possibilities which is an extract from the novel Gattaca written by Andrew Niccol in 1997.
This novel became a movie(Gattaca) shortly after and become famous because it raises a very sensitive issue: the limits of scientific interference in what should remain a natural activity: procreation.
This extract describes a scene that takes place in the future and involves a geneticist and his clients: a couple trying to have a kid. But not just any kid: The perfect child with predetermined assets!
Announce the plan:
- Perfect child syndrome
- Genes for sale
- Eugenism : return of the uberkid (or the revival of the debate about eugenism)
I. Perfect child syndrome
_It’s an antenatal visit for the parents of an unborn child.
Two unusual facts:
A geneticist replaces the doctor.
The parents have not concerned about their child’s health as it is but how to enhance it.
We can see from the text that there are two main characters: Antonio and Maria who are expecting a kid.
_They choose the physical and mental characteristics of their kid.
For instance (line 15): “blue eyes, dark hair and fair skin”
_The scene shows a very natural feeling: The parents’ anguish about their kid’s health but the geneticist uses their fears as a selling argument. The joint is not whether the kid is going to be healthy but how genetics can make him/her fit for the “perfect society”. Not only should natural weaknesses be eradicated but also every abnormal trait (like being left handed) which could stand out in society. All they want would be an average kid, who, if society has to be taken into account, cannot be less than perfect.
II. Genes for sale!
_The appointment turns into a sale. The least we can say about the geneticist is that he is a hard seller, ready to close the case. He plays with his clients (we can’t say patients any more), trying to sell them the most advanced and most expensive options like “mathematical or musical ability”.
_The scene reminds a visit to the car dealer because the product comes with plenty of options.
He proposes to choose the color of the hair as he would propose to choose thecolor of the car.
III.Eugenism : return of the uberkid (or the revival of the debate about eugenism)
_Historically eugenism was in fashion at the turn of the 20th century, in countries such as Sweden and Nazi Germany. The belief that better genes made better humans has been proved wrong and is no longer upheld by scientists, fortunately.
Or is it? Recently, a political election raised the issue of natural born criminals. Does it mean that we are determined by own genes and, if so, do we need to wasp them for a better lot?
_The movie Gattaca tackles this question and in some way provides an answer.
The main character is born “invalid” and is not allowed in the haven for “valid” citizen but manages to fake his identity and oddly enough, outsmarts the superior people in charge of security.
The need for security to keep “invalid” people away from Gattaca is a contradiction in terms, if those people are really so unfit, why worry about them trying to intrude?
They shouldn’t be able to. But they do anyway: which means that the answer for a better life lies somewhere else than in genes.
Conclusion
This text leaves us with an unsolved question that could be importantin the next decades, which will see the development of advanced processes such as cloning or genetic therapy: do we want a society with genetically engineered people or keep things natural even if to perfection is a tempting goal?