This is so utterly disgusting I can barely type. All I can think of is how sad Einstein was that the world leaders used his science to build nuclear bombs, about how these bombs have made the annihilation of life on this planet not only a possibility but, at the rate these crazies are going-Bush, Saddam, Bin Laden et al- at best an eventuality. And then there are the thousands of reactors scattered around the world which we have no way of neutralizing, no way of safely disposing of their radioactive poisons. What an abyss they have created in the name of scientific progress. What a fool this Dr. Watson is to think that he can make guesses about human behavior based solely on genetic information, as if the historical moment you are born into and your personal situation mean nothing, as if the behavior of every human being is decided in a vacuum. And he says that governments will regulate genetic engineering? As if power subscribes to an ethic and is not already self validating, as if contractual regulations will be or ever have been a barrier to supplying the demands of the wealthy. Of course genetic engineering will widen the gap between the haves and the have nots. And imagine how screwed the world would have been if the Bush family could have paid Dr. Watson to bring little George's IQ into the double digits. He would have had not only Hitler's propensity for world domination but also his charisma and the ability to cogently rationalize his ugly and truly barbaric foreign policy. That's what the world needs, Dr. Watson, smarter, prettier despots who tirelessly make the world a safer place for the oiligarchy. Oh yeah, and the world also needs more giggling, obedient, large chested blondes.
Ok. Rant finished. It's Sunday. No more Pen-l for me today. Lisa S. on 10/27/2002 6:36 AM, Hari Kumar at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Dr. Watson stressed his vision is not a bleak one. He too was haunted=20 > > by the world portrayed in the 1997 film Gattaca, where genetically=20 > perfect members of an elite, conceived in labs, reign over the=20 > genetically "invalid," created naturally and condemned to society's=20 > lowest jobs. > > The movie theme echoes concern that genetic enhancements will be=20 > available only to the wealthy, widening the gap between haves and=20 > have-nots. But Dr. Watson has more faith in the species: "Most humans=20 > > are programmed by their genes to have compassion for their fellow=20 > man."
