I never really got the argument against augments (in universe as well as from the writers).
All the humanoids in Star Trek are the result of genetic augmentation anyway.
The whole “eugenic wars” thing always felt like a cop-out because the writers were to afraid to tackle a controversial topic during the actual show and pushed it into the past in a “we already had this discussion” kind of way.
I would argue that the bad reputation that eugenics got by being associated with fascism is very detrimental to societal progress.
Before we understood genes and could manipulate them, the “solutions” (e.g. sterilization) to debilitating genetic disorders were very cruel.
But this has changed with the advent of genetic screening and gene therapy.
People are so reluctant to accept the good that these technologies can do that we are dooming future generations to unnecessary suffering.
The first time I heard of diseases like cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and Huntington’s disease I was very curious why they were not being eliminated by genetic screening.
People act like we would immediately create a second class of people like Khan if we allowed more direct intervention but this is simply not true.
There is a world of difference between eliminating horrible diseases and creating super humans.
Have you been living under a rock? The world is literally being burned up by a handful of people who think they’re more special than everyone else and nobody else deserves to live. Don’t be ridiculous.
Of course the super rich would immediately meddle with their offspring if they could.
But his would not produce any kind of superhuman.
We barely understand how the mind works, attempting to make someone more intelligent with genetic manipulation is like poking a haystack and hoping that a needle finds its way to the top.
Technology that advanced is like 100 years into the future at the earliest.
The best we can do is to change your hair color and the way your sweat smells, that kinda thing.
People are racist even without the help of genetic manipulation so it would change absolutely nothing of consequence.
It’s not about whether or not the creation of a superhuman is possible or right. It’s about the fact that humanity cannot, at this time, be trusted to do that in a way that wouldn’t result in conditions worse than Star Trek’s Eugenics Wars.
There is no united humanity and there will never be one.
We are not a hivemind after all.
If you restrict your actions to account for every possible way it could go wrong you end up doing nothing at all.
Some people will end up doing it anyway, with or without permission.
Making it legal at least steers it into a more ethical and productive direction
Wow you just keep coming with these bad takes huh?
Why is that one specifically a bad take?
I really wish it would come true (it is one of the reasons I really like Star Trek), but I also recognize that it is an idealistic dream.
So? That doesn’t make it impossible, it just makes it something worth working toward. Star Trek characters have the luxury of having their history written for them, but we have to get there the hard way.
A refreshing perspective.
where do you stop? there’s a movement in the deaf community to stop ‘fixing’ hearing loss.
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/08/understanding-deafness-not-everyone-wants-to-be-fixed/278527/
same thing with down syndrome - some people would prefer to not have that child, some see that as cruel as well. it’s a giant ethical conundrum and we’re rapidly nearing the capabilities.
Well if someone regrets having their hearing restored it is very easy to reverse that… nobody can take that freedom.
If people really want more children to be born with mental disabilities I have no problem ignoring their wishes, I don’t think that is too controversial of an opinion no?