by The principles of Eugenics caused great harm for minority groups globally, culminating with the Nazis attempt to create a master race and the atrocities committed under this philosophy. The Eugenics movement preyed on minority groups by using various strong-arm tactics, popularizing false accusations, and romanticizing subjective ideal traits. The media was a key factor for support as they promoted the importance of the perfect child and the fittest family through contests and romanticized Eugenics through magazines, read by all generations. The Eugenic researchers worked with the government to create laws– including institutionalization, incarceration, immigration, anti-miscegenation laws, and sterilization–against minority groups and people in disadvantaged positions, enforcing Eugenics. These methods were a way to push an indirect method of Eugenics. With the vast advancements in science and technology, the possibility of another eugenics movement could be on the horizon.
“We’ve arranged a civilization in which most crucial elements profoundly depend on science and technology. We have also arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. This is a prescription for disaster. We might get away with it for a while, but sooner or later this combustible mixture of ignorance and power is going to blow up in our faces.” ~ Carl Sagan
Sagan in this quote discusses our dependence on technology today and how ignorance will result in disaster. This quote immediately reminded me of eugenics. As more technology such as embryo testing becomes more frequent, we have to consider the possibility of people manipulating embryos in a negative manner. Genetic testing currently allows us the option to choose which embryo to implant. However, CRISPR would allow us to change the genetics of any embryo before implanting it. CRISPR, or Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, allows for scientists to edit the genes and change an organism’s DNA. If someone is able to check and choose the direct characteristics such as hair color and eye color, as a society we are presented with a question of attempting to fulfill certain beauty standards or more desirable traits. The ability to choose traits could result in a decrease genetic diversity.
In the 1920s, the Better Baby Contests promoted the importance of better breeding. A defective baby, of below average IQ, not white, or with illness, would not make it this far in the competition. The grading system was punitive. Each baby started with 1000 points and as each physical defect was discovered, points were deducted. The smartest and most elite families were selected as the winners. Being able to choose the characteristics of your embryo based on intelligence and appearance will not only promote more ideals such as the Fitter Family Contests but also disenfranchise the majority of people who can’t afford it and increase the wealth gap.
“The real danger is not that computers will begin to think like men, but that men will begin to think like computers.” ~Sydney J. Harris
Similar to the Sagan quote, this Harris quote reminds me of the robotic aspect of computers and technology in general. The worry that Harris has is also one that I share. Emotions make us human. Computers work in a way where emotions are not involved. As we start to make even more strides with technology, a crucial aspect is not losing our emotions.
Diversity is what makes us stronger. We are able to learn from each other’s diverse experience, develop new understandings, and reduce ignorance. As science and technology moves into the future and progresses to have such incredible, life-changing power, we have to make sure to not lose our emotions in order to not abuse the technology.
Sources:
https://www.sciencemag.org/features/2019/09/beyond-crispr-what-s-current-and-upcoming-genome-editing
https://knowgenetics.org/history-of-eugenics/
https://www.vox.com/2018/7/23/17594864/crispr-cas9-gene-editing
https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/better-babies-contests-united-states-1908-1916