Melodie's's+Essay

= Genome and Genetics Essay = media type="file" key="melodieg-genetics-essay-0910.mp3" width="240" height="20"

If there was a group of people and a man was chosen for a special task and it was up to him to choose what the right thing to do is. The man chosen out of the group was granted a gun, does that mean he is allowed to use it, or does that mean he is automatically more powerful than everyone else? What would he be allowed to use it for? To kill people, to scare people into doing what he wants or to protect the people who are around him. Get the picture? That is the case with the Genomic sequencing, Genetic engineering, and stem cell research. God gave man a brain to use, but for good. There is nothing wrong with scientist discovering new ways to help humans live longer, stronger, and healthier. That is as long as they have boundaries. I am totally for helping humanity and progressing, but as long as scientist know how far is too far, otherwise we could very well end up with a Frankenstein running around. As long as we use and discover things for the better, it’s ok. But if at one point scientist were capable of cloning people to harvest organs, which would be crossing the line, which would be playing the role of God. But if we were going to recycle fertilized eggs which was either going to be burned or frozen to create organs. That should be ok, yes people say that, that is a living organism, but living organisms are being aborted daily, burnt, and frozen. Why waste when you can benefit from it? Besides if we were able to sequence DNA, which would help so many people. On the other hand I don’t agree with the whole changing a fetus’s DNA to eliminate a disorder, rather I agree with sequencing which is a method to precaution people of what to expect and how to avoid certain things.

“He who suffers much knows much”-Greek Proverb. Suffering is part of the world, from heartbreak to physical wounds. Some worse than others, but suffering is what allows us to know we are still alive. If we were to tanker with DNA and change someone’s DNA so that they don’t have to suffer with a disease would take away almost like his character. Yes suffering is not fun, but suffering is also part of life, suffering allows families to come closer, people to become stronger, emotionally and physically. People fear suffering, but it is like a character building experience. If life were perfect, than no one would have to suffer, but life’s not perfect and everyone suffers in their own way. Who on the other hand are we to decide whether someone has the right not to suffer? Suffering allows a person to grow, and suffering brings some good to the table. On the positive side suffering gives life a whole new meaning. But I guess it depends on how you look at life, do you see your glass half empty or half full. Suffering causes people to learn to enjoy what they have or how much time they have left. It brings families together, like that deaf family, both when the young couple went through with the implants and the other family who decided that the implants weren’t something they agreed with, both parents suffered greatly, but the family came closer in a way. Although some of the family was supportive of the parents’ decision and some were completely against it, they still came together as one. Life is suffering and without it we would take life for granted and not understand what the reason and purpose for life is.

It’s very nice that we have the capability to eventually sequence DNA, and use the information as a preventative method. But if this information were to fall in the wrong hands it could be twisted and used against us. Like if social security number was out for everyone to see, than he could have his whole life destroyed. Like in the movie Gattaca everything depends on you DNA, EVERYTHING. Would you want someone to get their hands on your perfect DNA and use it for their own benefit? Like how Vincent used Jerome’s Perfect DNA to get to his dreams. But that’s the good side of it, on the not so good side of the spectrum, what if the medical insurances had the right to check their customers DNA, depending on how healthy they are and how well their DNA is they will get accepted. It’s tough enough trying to get insurance based on our medical records, if they eventually are able to check our DNA, almost no one will be able to get insurance. It would be close to impossible. Our DNA is basically the definition of who we are each and every unique individual person, allowing people to sequence our DNA would be like looking into our soul, or cutting us open and actually looking into us. It’s great that we have the knowledge to become bigger and better, but without bounds people are going to get hurt, talking about not being able to get the coverage they need to protect themselves. Or at least everyone should get a basic coverage if DNA was going to be looked at like our medical records.

Medicine that can alter someone’s DNA or a babies DNA to prevent certain unwanted traits sounds like a good deal. But if that persons character relies on that interesting trait, than we would be taking the very character out of them. If someone was supposed to be gay, and that trait was removed before being born, would that change the person as it is, or would that cause them to adapt to really being gay in a straight body. Or if someone was to have dyslexia but the mother had the genetics changed so that the child could learn normally, it could be a possibility that other genes would leave traces of dyslexia. This could possibly lead to more problems. Although none of this has been tested yet, it’s a little scary that scientist could hold the power to alter someone’s future. Like I’ve said before everyone is unique and should be left the way they are, no one should alter their genes to make them better. If we were all the same, there would be no diversity. Human race would diminish and we’d all be the same like the tract homes which look like the result after using a cookie cutter on a sheet of cookies. No difference, generally all the same. It would all be like Gattaca, where everyone is perfect in that plant, and if there are any imperfections they are very small and unnoticeable. No one would be unique; everyone would be like robots, no distinct differences.

If everyone had the option like it Gattaca to have a designer baby, many would go for it. It could help decrease the possible childhood difficulties, and ensure having very smart and successful children. But it would not be offered to everyone, only the richest that have the money will have the option to have designer babies. It would cause a huge gap between the middle class and the upper class. It would be like the cookie cutter homes, everyone is the same, brilliant and pretty with an ensured future, just like Vincent’s brother. Its changing someone who was originally made beautifully and wonderfully to what we think is perfect. It would be like creating a whole new person, throwing out all the “bad traits.” Like choosing one over the other, rather than everyone having the same opportunities. If we were to have designer babies than everything would be different, people would want to be seen by the best of the best, not my some normally conceived doctor. Normally conceived people would be lesser and probably not considered as smart as a designer baby, they would get most of the higher paying jobs. The rest would not even be considered. People would hire engineers who were designed to grow up and become engineers. It would give the rest of the classes a lesser chance to fully succeed. Once again in my book I would consider this playing the role of God, it’s like telling someone what they did isn’t good enough and then redoing to their liking. It’s a little rude and ungrateful.

Yes discrimination towards races and gender confused people is something that’s hard to deal with. But it’s what makes our world so unique, we are all different. And depending on the opinion of the people it depends on whether they think it’s ok. Everyone has the right to chose who they want to be and what they want to be. Ultimately it’s a choice; no one is born one way or another. Although it has been realized that some are born with dysfunctional hormonal levels, but no one is born thinking whether they are gay or straight. But theoretically if there was a possibility that mothers can have children that are not what their gender is, would parents take a pill that could prevent this from happening? Of course science would need to evolve enough to the point where scientist are sure that a pill can prevent gender confusion like preventing the possibility of having a short or bald child. But even then can science be trusted to that extent? There could be the possibility that the pill has defects, like a mutated baby or even a baby Frankenstein. Who would want to risk that, and well how far is too far with tweaking with DNA and basically the most sacred form of life. It seems a little to invasive going and changing DNA, someone has been created one way and because the parents don’t want to bother with the possibility they take a pill that could easily make them ten times worse? It’s a little selfish and not thinking about the well being of the child in this context.

Biotechnology is a great new discovery in the foods world. But not for us, we have the ability to grow our own healthy foods, and our own healthy animals, but companies have become so selfish that they want things now and faster, so they poison us with bad food to make more money. GM foods are going to cost us our health in the future. The worst is that there is no other option, its certain that many would rather have organic foods, rather than GM foods. Since it is in the corn dust which travels around in the air, it contaminates even the organic foods. We are being poisoned without having the option to choose foods that are healthier for us. It’s as though allowing a vegetarian to eat, but only foods with meat in it. It is not giving them or us the option to choose. Someone could be very well allergic to corn products but they won’t know something has corn until they have an allergic reaction. But on the other hand, third world countries that cannot grow their own foods, who are starving should be offered this option. Because it is a fast way to grow food, as well as a fast way to feed people. They probably will not care whether it is healthy or not, they should get the BT products because it could be a way to help many people come out of poverty. It’s not fair that America is spoiled with this discovery but people who are starving don’t get anything. Many are conscious about what they eat and prefer to have the healthier foods, but people who are lucky to grow one thing or another probably won’t care if it is healthy or not. Or at least cooperation should come up with a way to make their own genes and sell them to third world countries, and patent it so that no one can steal their idea. But make a gene to grow foods, sell it to third world countries, eventually they can make a profit once they gotten back on their feet.

Like the movie “Island,” clones were created for one purpose and one purpose only, to basically donate their organs when the real person was in need of them. In the movie they functioned like any other person, they had emotions; they talked, walked, and ran. They were just clones, who also most importantly had a brain. When two of the clones discovered the reason they were alive, and for what purpose they lived for, they were shocked and felt used. In a way it seems that cloning is selfish, having someone who is the exact copy of you, but is going to die someday if you need a heart transplant. Pretty selfish in my book, it’s not fair especially if they will be able to function like a normal person. They too have feelings. I feel it is wrong on so many different levels, morally and ethically. It’s basically using someone to make up for the mistake you made. Before scientists were able to make Dolly, they had many different forms of mutations until they succeeded. There would be aliens in the labs, scary looking humans before totally succeeding. Just simply wrong, morally it’s wrong because even though they are a clone and look exactly the same as the person they were cloned from, they think differently. They too would have opinions. Ethically it’s wrong because even though the first thousand tries, the clone is an alien, they most probably can feel pain. They shouldn’t have to tolerate it. Besides things could easily become disastrous like the movie “IRobot,” tons of robots that looked the same, but they sure did not think the same way.

On the other hand therapeutic cloning seems to be the better idea. Rather than cloning a whole new person to harvest organs, use unwanted embryonic cells and stem cells to allow organs to repair themselves. This is the more ethical and moral way to go about things. I personally think it’s wrong to burn unwanted fertilized eggs, when they can be recycled and used for research. Rather than freezing the eggs they can save someone’s life, maybe eventually allow paralyzed patients to walk again. What’s wrong with that? Or what about aborted fetuses that are thrown away, if the mother doesn’t want the child, scientist should have the right to test on them. They were unwanted from the mother, so what’s the use of them if they are in the trash rotting? I think this would be the more moral way to go about things, rather than making a whole new person. This is a more rational decision towards this topic. Eventually when science advances enough we can grow organs hopefully without any trouble. Yes stem cells are a form of life, but it is a form of life that isn’t going to be used. It is just going to go to waste either waiting in the freezer or burnt. And using both stem cells and embryonic cells for research is only going to help science advance more. It will eventually help us in the future. Although stem cell research is not really permitted yet, it would be a good way of advancing science. Healing organs that are scared or have failed can be immediately healed by inserting stem cells. Not a bad way of helping our society, grow and expand. We need the new developments and people need the help desperately, people are dying of liver failure, when all someone needs is some stem cells inserted in the organ. It’s a small way of prolonging life, rather than shortening it. I understand that people in the first place need to be more careful rather than harming themselves, but lot of people don’t understand that until they’ve gotten to that point. It’s a way of saving lives.

We ultimately really hold the power whether to do right or wrong. We shouldn’t choose to do the right thing when it’s too late, after we have suffered enough. We shouldn’t be afraid of advancing in science. But advancing as long as there is a boundary line. Knowing where the limit is and how far is too far. I am for helping our world advance, as longs some scientist doesn’t go crazy and make mutated babies and Frankenstein’s. Although there is always an extreme scientist who makes a ton of mutated babies and the world is left to fend for its self. But in the long run, it will help life, be longer, healthier, and more worthwhile.