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Re:A 23andMe Patent by functional_test on Thursday October 03, 2013 @07:44AM (#6488239)
You should probably watch Gattaca - the answer to your question is pretty much the whole point of that film. Or if you don't want to watch, at least to read the first two paragraphs of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gattaca.
Re:A 23andMe Patent by PeterisP on Thursday October 03, 2013 @08:52AM (#6488501)
Watching Gattaca is very recommended to everyone.

It raises many important questions on how to properly and ethically handle genetic improvements in society, but in my opinion it doesn't at all say that the genetic improvements shouldn't be done, it simply warns about the social, political and legal issues that the society should discuss and solve alongside with the actual biological/engineering challenges.

Re:A 23andMe Patent by toomuchtodo on Thursday October 03, 2013 @12:47PM (#6490182)
So, I was 15 when Gattaca came out. 15 year old me was very much "Look at the protagonist succeed against all odds! Take that cold science!".

30 year old me is much more pragmatic. The world is changing very quickly, and even though I'm still somewhat young, I know things will get harder for me as I get older (I work in the tech sector; "The Benevolent Treadmill"). I have a wife, and soon kids on the way. I need to be able to get more done in the day, concentrate more, remember more, and continue to constantly learn while competing against kids half my age.

30 year old me would select the best traits for my child(ren) in a heartbeat. I want better for them than I had, as all parents do.