GATTACA is here...
- Thread starter Aegwadar
- Start date
I put this into the category of useless, along with full body scans. It will only cause worry for something that you "might" be susceptible for. That can be done with any disease without mapping your genome to be quite honest, just look at your family history, and that doesn't cost 99k. Anyways, there is no reason for anyone to have this done, unless done with intentions based on curiosity of what makes you tick.
I was more referring to the people who commented who seemed excited who didn't exactly understand why referencing GATTACA meant it was a bad thing.NDWolfwood5268 said:
Seriously, in most cases, if you have a gene that we believe puts you at a high risk for a certain disease state, that usually gets compared with your family history for that particular disease, and decisions on treatment are usually based on that history.super_smash_jesus said:
One exception would be HER-2 positive breast cancer. There is a genetic test that can be done to show whether or not a specific drug is likely to work. It's actually required that the test be done before treatment starts (in the US at least.) This is about the only reliable genetic test that is of any value right now. This may also change.
Most of what makes it to the media is pure, unadulterated hype.
Making the tech from GATTACA come true should be your life's devotion.Glefistus said:
Preventing the culture from GATTACA coming true should be your life's devotion.
You work on Snow Crash [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_mapping].
While I agree with you in principle - I am a through-and-through Transhumanist - I do not support Eugenics [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenics]. Admittedly, although the possibility of foetal genetic augmentation is incredibly tempting and even likely, discrimination against those without augmented or positive genetic traits should not be encouraged or utilised. The culture of improvement and augmentation should come into existence; a culture of discrimination and limitation should not. Furthermore, we should never be so egotistical to ever consider ourselves "perfect" or "divine" regardless of our form, ability, or skills - there is Always A Bigger Fish.Glefistus said:
TLDR: Eugenics bad. Posthuman [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posthuman#Posthuman_in_Transhumanism] good.
At worst, we could end up like the cities of GATTACA... or perhaps even worse, like Rapture [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BioShock#Setting].Aegwadar said:
If we're luckier, we'll get something closer to The Culture [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_Ghost_in_the_Shell#Humanity]. We'll see.
I'm actually not to worried if we end up with a couple of "Raptures" in our time, as sick as it sounds, its always a Miss and try again scenario for humans... Plus, we would be paving the way for that ever-so-elusive space colonization issue.BobisOnlyBob said:
Not even close yet, we don't have the genetic manipulation technology to make it a reality. Generally speaking we're likely to find that everyone's genes are weak.
SPOILERS about Gattaca:
Gattaca is a rather bad (in my opinion) movie where in the near future there is a Space Program that only the brightest and the best can join.
You've got this situation where they have the abillity to both identify genes and modify people into what amounts to perfect humans. A couple decides to modify one of their children and make the other one a "god's child" which is to say a natural unmodified child birth. The kid in question winds up with the potential for all kinds of defects based on it's genetic history with no modification for it.
The unmodified kid basically grows up to be like Batman despite all odds. Not a vigilante but rather the peak of physical abillity. Better than most of the genetic gods around him, but he's doomed because of his genetic history. Natural borns being relegated to meniel duty and such since nobody will hire for the good jobs based on genetic history, and genetic history is a crime to fake.
This kid decides he wants to be an astronaut and cuts a deal with a genetically modified guy who is in the program to take his place. This guy being dysfunctionally depressed. Being "Batman" he of course is capable of doing everything perfectly, but needs to go through insane amounts of precautions so he will not be outed as an unmodified human. Of course the program begins to suspect and drama and suspense ensues.
The guy whose place he takes winds up finally breaking down and committing suicide After numerous close calls (including one of the most ridiculous ways to cheat on a blood test I've ever seen, I mean literally the guy hides an alternate bag of plama under his arm and nobody notices) he eventually goes into space, where he doesn't have to risk being sent back even if he's discovered because it would be too expensive, and by that point nobody would care.
Oh yeah and there are subplots about his brother being a cop, and some sexual tension with Uma Thurman. It's been a while but this synopsis covers most of what I remember.
Really I recommend avoiding this movie, it's actually pretty bad. I'm surprised so many people have actually heard of it/seen it. Interesting premise but... wow.
>>>----Therumancer--->
SPOILERS about Gattaca:
Gattaca is a rather bad (in my opinion) movie where in the near future there is a Space Program that only the brightest and the best can join.
You've got this situation where they have the abillity to both identify genes and modify people into what amounts to perfect humans. A couple decides to modify one of their children and make the other one a "god's child" which is to say a natural unmodified child birth. The kid in question winds up with the potential for all kinds of defects based on it's genetic history with no modification for it.
The unmodified kid basically grows up to be like Batman despite all odds. Not a vigilante but rather the peak of physical abillity. Better than most of the genetic gods around him, but he's doomed because of his genetic history. Natural borns being relegated to meniel duty and such since nobody will hire for the good jobs based on genetic history, and genetic history is a crime to fake.
This kid decides he wants to be an astronaut and cuts a deal with a genetically modified guy who is in the program to take his place. This guy being dysfunctionally depressed. Being "Batman" he of course is capable of doing everything perfectly, but needs to go through insane amounts of precautions so he will not be outed as an unmodified human. Of course the program begins to suspect and drama and suspense ensues.
The guy whose place he takes winds up finally breaking down and committing suicide After numerous close calls (including one of the most ridiculous ways to cheat on a blood test I've ever seen, I mean literally the guy hides an alternate bag of plama under his arm and nobody notices) he eventually goes into space, where he doesn't have to risk being sent back even if he's discovered because it would be too expensive, and by that point nobody would care.
Oh yeah and there are subplots about his brother being a cop, and some sexual tension with Uma Thurman. It's been a while but this synopsis covers most of what I remember.
Really I recommend avoiding this movie, it's actually pretty bad. I'm surprised so many people have actually heard of it/seen it. Interesting premise but... wow.
>>>----Therumancer--->
