Blog 12: Gattaca Response

David Daniel Strack 

George J. Anna position's in the “The Man on the Moon” raises the idea of development in universal human rights according to human dignity. Anna foretells that inevitably the human race will be lead to genocide. The “inferiors” will kill off the “superiors” or vice-vesa. Based on the fact that history has a tendency of repeating itself, Anna references major historical events of the past 1000 years. Also focusing on the progression of genetic engineering and the result in the future. Although his position may seem far-fetched to some, his argument is quite valid. 

 The film Gattca portrays a grim look into the future where the quality of a human being is manipulated. The concept of free will is taken away from the individual by a invisible cast system. This movie is a parallel in support of the Man on the Moon. One connection they both share is the idea of the "other". in the man on the moon the other is the inferior and superior and in Gattca the in-valid are to  Valid. There is visible discrimination and segregation in this future reality of genetic engineering. There is a present sense of dominance between the two sides along with a control of destiny. Vincent quotes "I belong to a new underclass, no longer determined by social status or the color of your skin. We now have discrimination down to a science.” he didn't choose his fate but he was aware that he can change it. Yet what is history cannot be changed, as the Man on the Moon article explains this human desire to dominate is a constant force in the progression of humanity.

The development of human history repeats itself over and over proving Anna's point furthermore. The Europeans forced their religion upon the people they would consider to be savages and in theory to civil their race. The Nazi believed they were genetically superior to the Jews because they were the latest models of humans. The same goes for the space race and today the hegemony continues against most counties in the world.

As for Anna’s inferring of future, it is present at every waking moment. The advancements today in microbiology and engineering are staggering. Predictions are being made for Down syndrome. According to a medicalnewstoday.com article entitled “New screening test proves earlier, more accurate predictor for Down syndrome” The new screening approach uses a blood test that analyzes the level of a protein and hormone in the mother's blood, combined with an ultrasound or sonogram picture of the thickness of skin on the back of the baby's neck. Results are available within five days, often before starting the second trimester of pregnancy. This is the moment when the child’s fate is stake. Advancements in medicine will incline making genetically engineering a new race more possible.