I am fascinated with the idea that we now have such easy access to our own genetic identities. For a mere $399 and a bit of spit in a testtube, you can send away for a detailed analysis of your specific DNA makeup. Companies such as 23 and me (www.23andme.com) provide you with information about specific genes you may possess that put you at risk for Parkinson's Disease and Breast Cancer, or which are known to influence your alcohol metabolism and even your intelligence. I am incredibly tempted to send away for my own results, so I might finally have an explanation for my impulsive responses to emails. But that nagging fear of privacy stops me from doing it, and well, the $399 is still a hefty price to pay for such self-indulgence. On the other hand, that's only about two trips to the hair salon on Rodeo Drive, so maybe I could just stretch out those trips to Alejandro just a bit further. Can someone come up with a way to genetically modify one's hair color by the way?
What do people think of this idea of getting your personal DNA report? Check out their website: 23andme.com
2 comments:
Isn't this a slippery slope leading to eugenics? On one hand eugenics could be viewed as progress: the creation of a superrace of smart, healthy people. On the other hand, and playing devil's advocate, isn't that what already occurs in the natural world through a process of Darwinism? The slower zebra gets eaten by the puma. Before I get too far afield here, to answer the good doctor's question: no, IMHO an abundance of genetic information is not a good thing.
Just read this article about Sergey Brin of Google that I thought might interest you.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/Brin-DNA
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