The 21st Century Gene Wars, is your Bloodline ready?
originally published on: http://themedicalblog.net/2014/11/06/dr-samori-swygert-emerging-biotechnology-may-allow-humans-to-have-genes-of-an-animal/
The race for ultimate genetic supremacy has begun. Does your family bloodline and gene pool have what it takes to survive this millennium? The preservation of a supreme generation or the elimination of a “lesser bloodline” is presently at stake.
The scientific and technological worlds have engaged in intercourse and given birth to “biotechnology.” The field of biotechnology is producing revolutionary and groundbreaking discoveries that will forever change mankind as we know today.
Many of us are familiar with Adolf Hitler’s obsession with the ultimate Aryan race, Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species, phrases like “survival of the fittest,” “ethnic cleansing,” “eugenics,” and other biological terminologies.
The A La Carte Baby
The future is here. Gene selection is a reality, and global discourse and discussions are taking place as I type. The Council on Foreign Relations produces a journal titled, Foreign Affairs. This past October issue contained an article by Jamie Metzel titled, “The Genetics Epidemic.”
The author detailed how easy it is now for individuals to select the genes they want for their babies. The choice extends to the baby’s gender, hair color, eye color, and basically anything you desire for your child. This is like creating your dinner from an A La Carte menu.
Advances in genome sequencing allows each gene inside the human body to be decoded, and scientists can literally “swap out” or “interchange” desirable or undesirable genes.
The crux of the matter
Like any argument, there are pros and cons in the debate. There is the initial problem that needs to be solved, and then there are the ramifications or potential unintended results that create new problems.
Globally, there are several genetic disorders that create debilitating physiological conditions. Certain disorders such as: Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle Cell Anemia, Down Syndrome, Huntington’s Disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Hemophilia, or Tay-Sachs disease, are more prevalent in some people.
Gene therapy is a field of biotechnology that uses alterations of your genetic code to prevent these conditions and currently to repair the genetic defect that causes these conditions.
This seems favorable and desirable because most parents would love to prevent their offspring from succumbing to conditions like the aforementioned. You simply “swap out” the defect for a correct version of the gene.
However, the blurring of lines and gray areas begin to surface once we can select genes. Why shouldn’t a parent select their child’s eye color, hair length and texture, height, or muscular build? However, it gets deeper than this.
Researchers have decoded the human genome and are now on the new “Brain Project.” This project is currently underway by the government, where scientists are trying to discover all the inner-workings and biological intricacies of the human brain. This includes any and all genes or undiscovered wonders that may code for intelligence or facilitate the ease in which learning and intelligence are developed.
The journal article says that the speed in which this is and has developed is so fast that the science has arrived before any laws can be made to govern and regulate genetic manipulation. I agree with the author in the article. There needs to be a global conference to establish boundaries of genetic manipulation when it has nothing to do with correcting or preventing a genetic disease.
Money Matters
Here’s my position on this matter: What happens if and when they do discover some gene or physiological breakthrough that permits use of 100% of our brain (otherwise unable to use without a manipulation)? Individuals with access to unlimited amounts of cash and wealth, like 1%’rs, can use this as a method of stratifying humanity on a whole new level. This stratification wouldn’t be based on money, or color, but basically…species of human.
What happens to poverty-stricken families and struggling middle class families that lack the financial power for gene manipulation to compete in the “genetic Olympics”? Do you think it would be fair, equal, and balanced if your child has to compete with some genetically altered super baby? Will your child be outclassed for professional careers, ownership, and sheer dominance of humanity?
The Foreign Affairs article even goes as far as discussing the option to swap out human genes to interchange with other animal genes. So imagine a child with the muscular fibers of a lion or the genetic arrangement for the vision of an eagle.
What are your thoughts? Are you ready? Are we ready? Should this be legal?
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