When their birthday rolls around every year, people generally have an idea of a perfect gift they would want, something specific, and take great pleasure in opening the package that resembles that gift, even if they know it is exactly what they asked for. When it comes time to get that first car, a teenager knows which bells and whistles they want, and is ecstatic if their parent makes the purchase. When selecting a pet, shoppers look for the exact qualities they find desirable and are content with their buy. When someone gets exactly what he or she wants, even if it is meant to be a surprise, they are more than happy to receive it.
In a recent post, a friend of mine makes the claims that parents of genetically enhanced children cannot love their child as more than an object, and that children will not be valued as precious gifts if they are enhanced because there is no longer a thrill of surprise and uncertainty. I, however, believe parents of enhanced children will value their kids even more because the children will have the ability to excel in the areas the parents view as important because the parents will enhance these traits.
When a parent chooses which genes to activate in their unborn child, they are nudging their child in a direction they deem best. If a parent values brains over brawn, they will enhance their baby in this area and help to give their child a competitive advantage. In her post, A.H. states that by enhancing our children, it means that we “think of our children as things, as customizable products.” This does not make that child an object, simply because the parent is trying to perfect him or her. Instead of destroying a bond between the parent and child, this actually creates a bond even sooner. Now the parent has an even stronger tie as to how the child will be raised, starting before the baby is even born.
A.H. makes another point, “A ‘supportive’ parent would direct a child with the aptitude for a particular talent towards that activity, most likely pretty forcefully” but I believe force is unnecessary. When a child displays a talent for a certain activity, parents tend to guide their children in that direction, but the child normally enjoys this activity because of the praise they receive for their talent as well as the satisfying of their need to be competitive. Competing is more enjoyable when there is a higher possibility of winning, so when a parent decides to genetically enhance a certain trait, such as playing the clarinet, the child is more likely to excel in that area and enjoy displaying this talent. The parent has decided what the child will have a talent for, but it will be a talent that the parent admires and considers beneficial to the life of the child.
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| Photo from CrystalAnn |
A.H. quotes Sandel in saying, “Designer children would never be fully free” because the parents would push them too much in one direction. These “designer children” are still free to choose which talents and activities they pursue; they are simply going to be better equipped for the ones that they have been genetically enhanced in and parents are more likely to introduce these activities to the child. It’s like parents having kids try a food they haven’t before: the parent has a feeling the child will enjoy it if they only give it a taste. A.H. believes that genetic enhancement would sever the bond between parent and child by taking away the discovery of hidden talents, but bonding between parent and child will come as the child develops these skills, and the parent will get to watch their child grow and see the effect of his choice of which traits to enhance. The parent will even be able to feel a sense of gratification when the child excels because they helped to contribute to their child’s achievement. Every obstacle the child overcomes will feel like a win for the parent, the same as a parent who enrolled their child in piano lessons feels when their child performs well in the holiday concert. The bond between parent and child will grow stronger with every triumph.
In contrast to A.H.’s belief, the reasoning behind enhancing a child does not stem from greed or selfishness of the parent only wanting specific characteristics in their child. The reason parents would genetically enhance their children would be to maximize their child’s potential. Parenting is not a game to win, but instead an event to experience, a time to learn about creating a family to care for, and an opportunity to raise a youngster into someone special. It should be a parent’s job to give their child chances to excel and make others envy and admire the child’s talents.
Part of parenting involves giving your children the tools to succeed in whatever they do. No parent wants to see their child fail, so if there was any way to give them a competitive edge, parents should take these steps. Parents need to give their children every opportunity to be the best that they can be. Genetic enhancement provides an internal aid stronger than any form of parental influence and raises the level of possibilities for that child. By genetically enhancing a child, not only are some doors opened, but also even more are created to allow that child to flourish.
