Like making our own puzzle, one piece at a time. Let's design a baby?
Genetic engineering isn't some newly developed technique of the 20th century. In fact, genetic engineering can be dated all the way back to the 1900's, before the creation of all the high-tech gadgets used in the genetic engineering today. When I first thought of genetic engineering what came into my mind was Frankenstein and a mad crazy scientist, and that cloned sheep Dolly. What I didn't know, was that genetic engineering involves a much wider range of categories. Did you know genetic engineering is made humans capable of treating many illnesses and conditions which we're almost 100% lethal. Illnesses such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, AIDS, and arthritis. Did you know over 60% of our food has biotechnology in it? In agriculture we are able to take traits from one organism and put it into a food, this can alter the food in many ways, making it last longer, taste better, and grow faster and larger. So many things can be enhanced, and even made better with the use of genetic modification! Now imagine applying this knowledge so that we are able to choose what kind of baby we want...
A new technique called In vitro fertilization which fertilizes egg cells with sperm outside the womb, outside of the mother's stomach, and in a test tube inside of a laboratory. This allows doctors and parents to choose what gender their child will be, by selectively choosing male and female sperm cells. another technique screens embryos for a genetic disease and only selected embryos are implanted in the mother's womb, this is called Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD). Wonderful what we are capable of now isn't it? Imagine if we could even cure genetic disorders...
Wait, recently scientists have made major advances to the knowledge of our human genome, and we are able to modify and change genes. This will allow us to potentially cure genetic diseases, this is called germ line therapy, but is currently illegal in humans. Why? Though genetic modification has it's amazing benefits, it is not 100% safe and without flaws, some cases result in death of the baby... Yes, the death. This downside of "designer babies" has spurred many arguments world-wide about genetic modifications, and that it is inhumane to gamble any life.
My opinion on genetic modification a.k.a. "Designer babies" is that I personally would not consider it. Genetic modification can be used to alter anything from gender to diseases, and eventually we will be able to alter appearance, personality, and even IQ. So why wouldn't anyone want to design their own baby?
Designing our own baby does not have a 100% success rate, and if it were to succeed... They wouldn't need parents to guide and teach them, because they are designed to know what they will be like... So what's the point of being a parent? What's the point of having a child if you know what kind of person it's going to become? I thought a person wanted a child because they thought they could turn that child into an amazing person who is smart, athletic, sociable, and successful. Designing a baby is the easy way out, and takes the excitement and wisdom you will experience from raising a natural born child. So why consider making a baby if your not willing to overcome the hardships of raising it yourself?
Things getting out of hand with our research into genetic processes? If we further research into genetics so that we are able to alter appearance, personality, and IQ we are facing a controversy of an elite race of humans, that could possibly look down on natural born humans. In the future the might even oppress us. Is it right to take a chance on this possibility that could risk the 6 billion people living on this planet?
Hitler has also spoken about an elite race. What has he done to the world?Let's design a baby?
With the risk of "designer babies" taking over the world, we are faced with the social implications that could occur. The world is currently is in a "dog-eat-dog" state. Female teenagers are already faced with the insecurities of looking like the women they see on the magazines. Constantly facing questions such as: Am I too fat? Is piece of cloth in "trend"? Will I be popular? And males faced with insecurities of not being "buff" enough. Now imagine if we were to incorporate perfect "designer babies" into our already insecure lifestyle. What would happen? I bet you can guess that people will feel even more insecure, and there would be a huge gap in society.
I'm filled with insecurities. All I need is just one more perfect human being to look up to...Let's design a baby?
Would I design my own baby? No, I wouldn't. Why? I don't think it's right to gamble any life. I want to raise my child without knowing what it will become, and just pray that my guidance alone will be sufficient. I don't think society is able to handle such "perfect" people in our society yet. Are humans overstepping our boundaries? I don't know, but I think we are.
Sources:
http://library.thinkquest.org/04apr/00774/en/txt/uses.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designer_baby
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_vitro_fertilisation
http://www.bionetonline.org/English/content/db_cont1.htm
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