Event 3: Gattaca
The movie Gattaca was fascinating and definitely ahead of its time. Touching on the issues of discrimination, gene-editing and biometric identification, it poses many uncomfortable questions for us today.
The most prominent issue would be the ethical concerns surrounding gene-editing technology. Back when the movie was produced, such technology was not yet prominent, or even a possibility for majority of the population, and was seen as something from a dystopian universe. However, such technologies exist today. CRISPR-Cas9 is a revolutionary gene-editing technology which allows geneticists to “delete, repair or replace a specific gene” (Radcliffe). It is not yet used to customize genes for ‘designer babies’, which is what comes to mind when one thinks of gene-editing. CRISPR-Cas9 is currently used for correcting genetic diseases caused by mutations in genes (Shwartz), and for other purposes such as creating genetically engineered foods (Radcliffe).
Nevertheless, the idea that we can replace genes to suit our needs unnerves me. Stanford bioethicist Hank Greely summarizes the dangers of gene-editing succinctly: “one [concern] is the intentional misuse of CRISPR. The other is that people with good intentions will inadvertently cause harm.” Since CRISPR-Cas9 is not 100% effective (Vidyasagar), there might be detrimental effects for the subject and their descendants if CRISPR were to target the wrong gene accidentally (Shwartz).
Even though the notion of creating designer babies is vehemently opposed today, the technology to do so already exists and would not be outlawed because it can be used in a beneficial manner. How then can humankind ensure that we avoid using it in a manner that perpetuates and compounds systemic discrimination? I don’t have an answer to this, but it is an issue that society should examine.
Another issue the movie brings up is the use of biometric identification today. This is slightly less controversial, because it is already widespread in society and we have been desensitized to its use. In the movie, Vincent steals Jerome’s identity by using his fingerprint and blood samples. We already see these forms of biometric identification – fingerprints, iris scans and face recognition – being used as part of security clearance processes. Biometric data, like any other type of data, can be easily stolen and abused. While it may be somewhat too late, we should reconsider if collecting such forms of data and using it for identification purposes is necessary and is more beneficial than harmful.
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