In the movie Gattaca humanity has now come one step closer to living in a utopian society. With the advancement of genetics every child whose parents can afford the procedure can become vastly intelligent, healthy, and superiorly perfect in every way. Those who don’t have superior genes are considered to be the others in their eyes. Without having a child going through the eugenics process not only will they be considered inferior to everyone else in society, but also eliminates their opportunities of living a regular life in this utopia. In Gattaca’s world there is no racism or prejudice that we normally face in today’s society, just prejudice about genetic material one person is made up of. In the movie the main character Vincent Freeman was born naturally without liberal eugenics altering his genes making him like every ‘normal’ kid. Both his parents are ashamed of having Vincent around considering he is their failed off spring with only thirty years to live. To cope living with this other Vincent parents decided to conceive another child with the genetic advancements.
Vincent always had dreams about flying in space but is constantly reminded by his parents, older brother, and society in general about his lack of DNA make up his dream will never be accomplish. Though this society is advance it’s still dystopian future since scientist and parents are trying to fix their children into becoming a vastly superior GQ/Vouge adults. If done opposite these children will be considered to be as the other according to George J. Annas. I can relate this movie with the Willowbrook State School in Staten Island. Without genetic engineering parents were put into the same place where Vincent parents where in, how do we deal with our inferior child? Whenever a child is born mentally handicap the hospital offers these others into a special place called Willowbrook State School in order to be separated from regular society. Yet because of how different these children where Willowbrook did whatever they wanted with these children from dissecting to torturing them. These children with mental disabilities were being mistreated because of their defaults. Since they are not like regular society we can do whatever we want to them since they are the other and that is not fair.
Every parent wants their child to be special and will do anything to make them get that lime light. Especially today with parents having option of changing the sex of their child pre-birth and determined their features. There is a common good that science can aid humanity with modern medicine and technology being examples. Yet there is a line we should not cross and that is playing God, for we have no right to change or alter their genetics. If everyone is perfect the way we wished for them to be we’ll still make mistakes like Eugene who is considered to be humanities best to offer. He’s won so many gold medals from swimming competition yet won second place in one, only to have him scar for life over one defeat. Vincent like most parents of today will do anything to accomplished their goals and make it possible. Vincent wishes to go to space and be an astronaut, knowing that his genes are inferior he goes to a black market salesman who aids him with someone who is willing to harvest themselves to Vincent. Eugene being depressed about winning second place is willing to give up his identity to Vincent to accomplish his dream.
We should accept our faults and understand that no matter how much we try to reinvent ourselves we are still not perfect. Even with the advancements of genetics and Eugene’s level of superiority does not guarantee us to solve all of our character flaws.
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