I read an article the other day regarding "designer babies", the controversy surrounding stem cell research and whether it is ethical. Stem cells have long since been a hot topic for scientists and
geneticists alike. What if there was a technology or chemical surgery that existed where parents could design their child’s exact genetic make-up? Should parents be able to choose their child’s fate? What would be the ramifications of the world we live in today? The American dream says that with hard work you can
get everything that you need. In the article, it states, "The increasing power and accessibility of genetic technology may one day give parents the option of modifying their unborn children, on order to spare offspring from disease or, conceivably, make them tall, well muscled, intelligent or otherwise blessed with desirable traits."
Alright. I can see where this is an attractive bargain, ensuring that your kid lives a healthy and safe life. In fact, that most likely turned my mind around about the whole situation, creating a fiery debate in my head that caused me to need another's opinion. To me, being able to choose your child's features is ludicrous. One should be happy with whatever their child's outward appearance is, and love them for the traits they were born with. As a sixteen-year-old girl, I'm so used to my parents doing everything they can to control me. Our parents hold power over almost everything we do, and now they could potentially take away who we are, or who we would be, as well? No thanks.
On the North Shore, keeping a stellar reputation and maintaining exceptional grades are two of the countless ambitions we seek. It is simply routine to have these goals in mind as a student attending New Trier, with the absurd amount of talented competition around us. As a whole, Americans strive to have the best. Is there a line to be drawn between striving for perfection and going too far? When will we stop trying to control everything we can and start accepting things for what they are?
This has definitely crossed the line. People want control over every single detail. We have so much power over ourselves already, we find the need to control the lives of our future children! Where does the individuality go? I can't even imagine how different life must have been without all the advancements that we have today. So many unnecessary advancements have made Americans power hungry. Sooner or later, no one is going to know what "natural" means.
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