Genetic Modification: Are Designer Babies Worth It?

I've always wondered what the modern world has become and more about what it's turning into. Don't get me wrong, I've always appreciated the wonderful developments and advancements we have today, courtesy of science and technology. But one thing I do alongside that is state my concern about how these very developments meant for good have also been problematic to us, becoming even more like a threat to life.

Well, maybe not to life directly, but to the normal and natural state of things. These developments have given reasons to question if some things are right or wrong. When such questions arise, it's mostly because something was found to be indeed wrong. Yes, we have ourselves as humans to blame because these developments came to help us, but our misuse and abuse makes for the concerns. Nevertheless, the issue is there.

It's not a new thing how people have gone all the way to alter their bodies for personal desires, not for the sake of correcting deformities or health concerns. BBL and plastic surgeries are case studies. It's quite appalling but I find it harder to comprehend why people go to the extent of modifying the genes of their babies to suit what they want the baby to look like. I've heard of genetic engineering, and it has been a questionable subject for me.

My answer is an outright no; babies shouldn't go through genetic modifications while they're still foetuses, creating designer babies to fit the standards and desires of the parents. It's more of a concern for me because the babies don't even have a say in this. And when grown, would the child appreciate this selfish gesture of the parents? Doing that itself takes away the uniqueness of the baby. What they become is a child whose genetics have been modified.

Again, it irks me more because the baby has no say in this, and whether they appreciate it or not, they have to live with it. Okay, let me be gracious enough to consider why people might consider this. What I see is more or less a case of parents trying to make a “perfect” baby that suits their own standards. I could be wrong, but I don't think this has to do with health concerns and providing a remedy to the case through the modification of a baby's genetics.

Every child is unique, and so in the natural state as they've been created and conceived. No one is perfect. Our imperfections don't fail to make us beautiful. They show we're humans, and that's what we're, not Barbie dolls to be twisted, modified and “fixed” because we don't follow one's desires and standards of perfection. I find it really repulsive because unlike BBL and plastic surgeries which are disturbing in their own way, this has to do with genes.

Welcoming such an ideal will mean that we don't even value our authenticity and uniqueness as human beings, how much then the things of lesser worth? It means we can modify and twist results, situations, outcomes and more. It will bring about a world where authenticity is questioned, and something as natural and biological as our genes will fall into that class. So, why not be content with the baby we're blessed with, and strive to love them rather?

Image is AI generated.

Thank you for reading!