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Gattaca Reflection

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GATTACA Reflection Paper Gattaca’s main character, Anton, is a prime example of how altering a human genetic makeup creates even more problems with discriminated and inequality than the human race is capable of handling. Anton wasn’t given an opportunity in the society to prove himself because the potential employees of companies were not tested on their skills or knowledge but on their physical and mental qualifications. This same society also used derogatory terms for people like Anton. Simply because his parents decided that he would come into the world naturally instead of through gene therapy or alteration. Terms like “faith birth'; and “invalid'; were used against Anton to make him inferior to others that have had genetic alterations. Genetic engineering could be extremely beneficial, but when used in the fashion as it was used in the Gattaca it could change things forever. Currently sheep and other animals are being cloned, soon primates and humans could be cloned also. Further investigations should be done on the real benefits of clone and if it is really necessary. These experiments (when used correctly) could be used to gain insight on what our genes determine in our personalities. Although human cloning and genetic engineering would be a huge achievement to the entire human race such as it was when we landed on the moon in 69, a persons life shouldn’t be changed dramatically. No employer or insurance company should know if a person has been genetically altered or not. A persons potential should not be decided from a “corrective surgery” like genetic altering. In the movie Gattaca they barely showed the moral consequences of the actions. Anton’s father showed more pride in his brother than Anton, but what about Anton making friends, was he doomed to be a social outcast in friendships also? The second rate swimmer so depressed by being second in a race almost committed suicide, what about him? The movie never revealed how poor nations around the world dealt with eventually becoming a nation of an inferior human race. The movie pretty much shows how Hitler’s plan of creating a perfect human race would be like. The movie does show some positives though. A longer lifetime full of health was promised to all planned pregnancies. Diseases were also virtually eliminated and gene problems where also stopped. The crime solving potential of having every ones gene son file were also showed. Such technology could be used however with out cloning or genetic altering. Weighing all these positives and negatives though is not a choice for me or anyone else, but a choice for future generations to come when they have the technology and choice whether to decide if it is needed or right for their time.

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