Designer Babies, Yea or Nay?

[Ideologue]

There's some serious potential for abuse when you permit people to control genes relating to melanin concentration.  Just like abortions are okay in general, but they become seriously problematic in retard countries when combined with amniocentesis.

I'm not sure I actually favor banning it, but it's probably the most worrisome aspect of genetic engineering (other than the obvious problems inherent with class stratification if public financing is not made widely available).

[Neil]

When the superhuman gets a job, you tax his ass for all the good society's done him with his brain genes and big dick and so forth, and give it to his dumb flatscan neighbors.

No you don't.  You sterilize the flatscans and put them in camps.

[Ideologue]

That's phase 2, to begin only after my death or somatic gene therapy.

[Neil]

That's phase 2, to begin only after my death or somatic gene therapy.

It would be unwise to put it off.

[Martinus]

Yeah, Ide is right. The current state of medicine and social sciences/ideologies means that almost everyone survives into adulthood. This means there is no environmental pressure on "good genes".

[Martinus]

The Gattica issue is a concern but for simple stuff like hair and eye colour...should totally be allowed.

You racist.

How is it racist?

Japanese would love that being able to tinker with hair and eye colors.

Considering Japanese are among the most racist people on the planet, I am not surprised.

[The Brain]

There's some serious potential for abuse when you permit people to control genes relating to melanin concentration.  Just like abortions are okay in general, but they become seriously problematic in retard countries when combined with amniocentesis.

I'm not sure I actually favor banning it, but it's probably the most worrisome aspect of genetic engineering (other than the obvious problems inherent with class stratification if public financing is not made widely available).

Why is controlling melanin concentration so horrible? Seems it can vary greatly without serious adverse effects.

[DontSayBanana]

I'm pro, but with caveats: primarily, gene considerations affecting potential health or longevity issues should be addressed before and supersede gene issues strictly affecting vanity concerns (e.g. skin pigmentation should have higher priority than hair/eye color, especially if parents are of a genotype predisposed towards skin conditions).

[Neil]

It has to be regulated so that all babies are born heterosexual.

[dps]

Just like abortions are okay in general, but they become seriously problematic in retard countries when combined with amniocentesis.

Are you talking about selective abortions based on the gender of the fetus, or something else?  Because AFAIK, selective abortions based on the gender of the fetus occur in all countries in which elective abortion is legal (though admittedly it's apparantly fairly uncommon in some countries but common enough in others that it may lead to serious imbalances in the ratio of men to women).

[jimmy olsen]

Just like abortions are okay in general, but they become seriously problematic in retard countries when combined with amniocentesis.

Are you talking about selective abortions based on the gender of the fetus, or something else?  Because AFAIK, selective abortions based on the gender of the fetus occur in all countries in which elective abortion is legal (though admittedly it's apparantly fairly uncommon in some countries but common enough in others that it may lead to serious imbalances in the ratio of men to women).

I think it's been outlawed in some of the countries where the sex ratio has been thrown way out of whack because of it.

[dps]

Just like abortions are okay in general, but they become seriously problematic in retard countries when combined with amniocentesis.

Are you talking about selective abortions based on the gender of the fetus, or something else?  Because AFAIK, selective abortions based on the gender of the fetus occur in all countries in which elective abortion is legal (though admittedly it's apparantly fairly uncommon in some countries but common enough in others that it may lead to serious imbalances in the ratio of men to women).

I think it's been outlawed in some of the countries where the sex ratio has been thrown way out of whack because of it.

I was asking Ide if that's what he was referring to.  I'm not sure that's what he's talking about, or something else.  The mention of amniocentesis makes me wonder, because you don't need that to find out the gender of the fetus--ultrasound will do just fine (though, admittedly not as early in the pregnancy AFAIK).  On the other hand, amniocentesis will also reveal some birth defects, but I don't think that's what he's talking about, either, because I don't think that he meant to suggest that aborting a fetus because it's been determined that the child will be born with, say, cystic fibrosis would only happen in "retarded" countries.  (Cystic fibrosis is detectable through amniocentesis, correct?  If not, substitute some other birth defect/condition in my example.)

[Ideologue]

Yeah, I meant sex selective abortions.

Amniocentesis will test for sex, too.  I believe it's not recommended in early pregnancy, but remember we're dealing with people who are going in with a 50% likelihood of aborting their child.  But an ultrasound works too, sure, though like you said I'm not sure if it will provide positive results as soon and my impression is that these guys want to know as soon as possible because they do want a child, they just don't want a female child.

[dps]

Yeah, I meant sex selective abortions.

Amniocentesis will test for sex, too.  I believe it's not recommended in early pregnancy, but remember we're dealing with people who are going in with a 50% likelihood of aborting their child.  But an ultrasound works too, sure, though like you said I'm not sure if it will provide positive results as soon and my impression is that these guys want to know as soon as possible because they do want a child, they just don't want a female child.

OK, but that's not limited to just certain countries.  It happens everywhere.  Granted, as I mentioned before, it's more common some places than others.

[Ideologue]

In small amounts, it's not that big a deal.  It's morally problematic for the individual, I'd say, but I'm talking about the places like PRChina where the actions of individuals in aggregate have basically doomed society (and more specifically, all those surplus males they think are more valuable than females despite their oversupply).