Designer Babies: Opinion

The classic saying, “You get what you get, and you don’t throw a fit” applies to many aspects of life including genes and traits. Scientists are becoming able to alter the genetics of children to ensure that they will have certain traits that the parents desire. Scientists can make a child have a certain color hair or eye, a higher IQ, and more desirable features, even if the parents don’t have them. Messing with the genes of a child to better them is not ethical or smart. As Probe.com states, “For instance, if the sex of a fetus is determined and deemed undesirable, it can only be rectified by termination of the embryo or fetus, either in the lab or in the womb by abortion. There is every reason to prohibit this process. First, an innocent life has been sacrificed. The principle of the sanctity of human life demands that a new innocent life not be killed for any reason apart from saving the life of the mother. Second, even in this country where abortion is legal, one would hope that restrictions would be put in place to prevent the taking of a life simply because it’s the wrong sex.” This is a very true and valid point to make. Also, Children will be almost cheating in life if they get faster growth than others or if they become smarter, because they will have an advantage over other children mostly because of the parent’s ability to pay the scientists to do so. If children become altered, it will change many aspects of life. For example, some people might not go and watch a sports game because the athletes could have done no hard work to achieve their jobs, their parents could’ve just had enough money to pay for their child’s genes. People might not care to watch anymore knowing the athletes are not legit and they are unnatural. Quality of life for the children that do not get these advancements may not be great being surrounded by people genetically superior to them. Also, the idea is not ethical because the children don’t have a choice because it occurs before they are conscious and able to decide for themselves. They should have a say in whether or not they will be supernatural for it is a life altering choice. Finally, parents may be less connected to their kids if certain traits are not present, as these new genes could create a child who has no commonalities with either parent. Scientists should draw the line at medicine. They should not mess with changing genes. Since the dawn of time, humans have lived without these changes to genes and they have been thriving at the top of the food change. If a necessary trait is to be had, it will happen naturally through evolution. Doing this will rise much division in the country and world that, quite frankly, we don’t need at this point. People will disagree on an emotional, religious, and scientific level, which can be all avoided, if we just leave things the way they are, and not try to play God.