The Controversial Future of Genetic Testing | VICE News
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The Controversial Future of Genetic Testing | VICE News
A new video on polygenic screening featuring Simone & Malcolm Collins and Nathan Treff
VICE News recently released a video discussing polygenic embryo screening. The video features the Cassidy family, who screened their children for disease risk and selected against Type I diabetes, and the Collins family, who screened their daughter Titan for physical and psychological traits. The Collins mentioned a willingness to screen for IQ, educational attainment, and earning potential, which they defended. VICE then referred to the film GATTACA. Genomic Prediction’s Nathan Treff was asked, “Would Genomic Prediction ever go into testing for traits beyond diseases?” He said only, “No.”
The comments and VICE seem more sympathetic to polygenic screening for disease than psychological traits, but that might be partly influenced by Simone and Malcolm’s “weirdness” (e.g., naming their daughter Titan, and wanting lots of babies). But this video is an overall win for polygenic screening generally. My personal stance is that it is perfectly ethical to select psychological traits because they can improve the future child’s welfare. Happiness, intelligence, and personality are all critical aspects of a great life, and considering these traits during embryo selection is ethical. It will soon be morally obligatory in many instances.
The Controversial Future of Genetic Testing | VICE News
Some of the dumbest people I know are the happiest, and some of the most intelligent people are depressed or suicidal. I find the argument that one should prioritize our interpretation of certain psychological traits over others to be morally corrupt and scientifically baseless, considering our understanding of how particular traits manifest in one’s life is limited.
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I am generally doing very well right now. I updated the "am i weak" post to make people know im better
The tldr of it is: ADHD meds has helped a lot, family situation is a lot better, i had way more negative thoughts and feelings then i realized, and CBT didnt help with them all because they were often about "shoulds" and overwhelment, and i felt like CBT added more of those.
Being open about being a furry has also been a huge stress relief. i were worried that i would be shunned by my family or communities if i were openly furry, but that hasnt happened. They think its odd but great that i make more art and do more interesting things.
Also i think i realized that im gay: i had to make a spreadcheet to realize this, lol
(Might be a bit gross to mention) but i think the worst depression i had were triggered by a combination of life pressures/negative self conceptions, and in art school accidently forcing myself into a heterosexual relationship that felt like a sweage pipe for me emotionally, and being more and more open about my sexuality has progressively made my depression better
Most of my life i have felt like any life year was net negative utility wise: I could have good days, but the bad days vastly outnumbered them. It started turning around when i got therapy 6 years ago, but its only the last 3 years that i started FEELING like life is great to live
Might be a random thing to mention, but funnily enough reading Ayn Rands works actually helped my terrible selfconfidence and feeling like i solely existed for other people. I dont buy into objectevism, but the idea that "my expressions and happiness and achievements matter as an important thing in itself" Was something that only started sticking after reading atlas shrugged.
I honestly thing Ayn Rand might have been autistic, and thats its part of why it resonated reading her work, altough i never finished any of here work, lol
uh, that was pretty long! have a nice day regardless.