a new super race?

[rosieglo]

Re the article in the guardian about the baby that was successfully screened for the breast cancer gene and the controversy about 'designer babies' - what's the fuss? I'm thinking that breeding out illness and disabilty is a great thing. Improving intelligence also; hopefully the smarter the future generations are the more likely they will find ways to halt our destruction of the planet and stop fighting. What's wrong with wanting fitter, stronger, cleverer and healthier children? And I think it is so wrong for a deaf or blind parent to actively seek out a way to pass their disability on, I cannot begin to understand how they could want to deprive their child of the ability to hear music or see the world around them.
hmmn - for me it's a pretty straight forward matter.

Oh but it's playing God isn't it? Very dangerous ground.

Newton's Third Law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction...of nature.

Call me cynical.

I know several Deaf people who see deafness as a difference rather than a disablity. They have their own culture and don't seem to miss things like music. It could be argued that as a hearing person I miss out on the Deaf sense of humor. (Admitally I am learning a whole host of BSL swearwords as I have been doing ICT support for a Deaf unit as part of my job.) Most hearing people miss out completely on Deaf poetry.

A famous Deaf school called Healthlands near me has a profoundly deaf headmistress. Also David Blunket is blind. Both these indviduals have contributed a lot to society.

It is very dangerous ground - after all who will decide what traits are desirable or not?

Perhaps someone will decided that children with Asperger's are undesirable.

Good job that they didn't have this ability when Albert Einstein was born...

here

You do realise how frightening your OP is don't you? Have you ever actually met someone with a disability?

Perhaps you could promote the idea of culling those with a disability? I have Asperger's, perhaps you might want to start with me? Or if that is too extreme, then perhaps I should be sterilised, because if I were to have another baby (and I don't plan to), I wouldn't genetically screen (if it were available).

trip trap

What Squonk said.

Was thinking that too Squonk... but will give benefit of the doubt.

Yes we should all work to create the Aryan Race

Rosieglo - Can you see where this is going and why it's NOT a straight forward matter?
I am hoping that you are merely very naïve.

yes this fits in beautifully with all the anti-Israel stuff on the boards at the moment, nice work

I think the OP comes across as a fair question (assuming the questioner is naive and narrow minded of course) but put together with the thread title and you've got yourselves a nasty piece of work intent on causing hurt and anguish.

which makes a troll in my book.

PHD student possibly. My friend works in academia and says most of her students use MN to gauge reaction and so on. She is quite cynical now!

Petrovia - in that case they should state that the question is for PHD research and I'm sure we would all be more than happy to post our views.

But the way this is phrased is offensive to a lot of people.

Stick that in your PHD and smoke it, op

Yes, I agree. It's really offensive to loads of people.

(Squonky I'm fa btw x)

(I nearly started a thread last night asking where you were! )

What Marybs said.

I'm pretty sure I've got AS but won't try for a DX.

I have 4 boys too and I suppose could breed an entire new super race to take out your entire new super rac.... there's an idea

I can understand why somene who watched their family die would choose to have a baby without that gene but you won't get an SN free world (most of the severely disabled kids I know became SN at birth) and breeding out variations like ASD, AS, DS will create a boring homogenous race with little variation and threfore little chance of being able to think outside the box when moving on into the future.

Plus the whole thing about genetic variation making a species stronger: narrowing it is a bad idea surely?

Loved this: 'What's wrong with wanting fitter, stronger, cleverer and healthier children'

My ds1 is the fastest child I know athletically, super fit, never ill, strongest in his school and very clever indeed thank you. The idea that Sn precludes that is plainly wrong.

Did you really? Oh darlink.

I got a bit hounded by a strange trole.
Hope things not too bad chez squ.

I can understand the argument, but if you could stop a life time of suffering for someone then surely it could be a good thing. Huntington's disease is a terrible way to die it robs a person of everything requiring 24 hour nursing care.
This is a genetic condition that currently has no cure. it can be screened for although each family can only have 1 nhs IVF. If a life time of worry and suffering could be ended how can that be a bad thing?

petrovia - Things okay (ish) here - my dad's ill (there are threads on the subject) but we're all fine. Got a netbook for christmas so am MNing a lot more than I was (although still not as much as "usual") How's you?

Eve surely you'd need to ask someone with Huntingdons

Except I think you'd get a wide variation on asnwers don't you? I imagine many would be eeply offended that you asked.

And why this breast cancer / huntingdns (both fatal, diseases) parallel with other sn? Deaf kids don't suffer or live an existence of pain. Neither do most disabled children, tbh.

But you know- once you've screened out the SN, why not start with the mentally ill? I'll hand over dh now should I? then what- fatties? hang on I am on my way.... gypsies? gay people?

Oh gosh i think I know which way that's heading ow then....

lol yes that's quite appropriate I think!

Yes, I saw about your Dad, I am so sorry. Have been thinking of you, not that that does much...in fact have prob posted on threads under other names, I'm pretty sure I did. It's pretty tough for you xx

the only thing about chatting on this thread, is that it's keeping it bumped and perhaps it should be dropped from the collective consciousness...

I have to go now because I promised ds some computer time (about an hour ago ) but now I know who you are, I shall find you next time I switch on...

Ok pet. Take care.

luckily genes for mental illness are proving difficult to pin down

I have to say I'm in two minds about this, knowing as I do several families where lethal breast cancer has struck ten years earlier in each generation. (ie- grandmother dies in her 40s, mother dies in her 30s, daughter diagnosed in her20s). If I had the choice to not bring a child into the world who is almost certain to develop lethal breast cancer in her early to late teens, I think I would use that choice frankly, no matter what the cries of eugenics.