Gattaca???

We are entering a new age in our society. Genetic engineering is reaching new heights. Take this story for instance. A doctor has recently claimed to be able to 'design' babies with specific hair and eye color! Now, where do we go from here? When does the ethical question come up regarding the 'selection' of 'great' babies over 'good' babies? Should we be able to pick and choose the best from our shared gene pools (male and female)? Wouldn't we all love to be different in some way (not I, said the mouse)?

Well, we have already seen how this scenario may play out in a great film called Gattaca. Gattaca explores highly selective genetic engineering of embryos in order to form 'optimal' children. In the film, two brothers (one engineered and one not) lead different and unique lives based on the difference in their genetic makeup. The themes that are explored (without giving away too much more of the plot) include genetic segregation and ethical questions regarding that segregation. It is an important film if we are moving closer and closer to 'super babies'.

Here's what I would like to know. Can we as a society deal with this technology when it arrives? Are we ready to select 'better' babies based only on genetic information? Its a tough question for which I have no answer. We think that we would want things to take place naturally, but that may not be the best. What if I could guarantee that you would live to be 95+ years old and not have any diseases? Would you take that guarantee? Would you want your child to have that life? I say yes...but I also say no. And thus we have come to an almost impossible problem. Yes the genetic benefits are great, but we can overcome so many things as human beings (proven in the film Gattaca). Isn't this reason to NOT allow your child to be genetically engineered?