Designer Babies

Have you heard of "designer babies"?

Parents already pay labs to examine embryos and pick one with DNA they like. People can choose the gender, and screen for diseases.

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But we're still limited to picking among naturally-produced embryos from a mother.

Soon it'll go further, John Stossel notes. A Chinese scientist says he's already created babies with altered DNA.

Gene-editing technology will eventually allow parents to alter their babies' intelligence, height, eye color, and more.

That scares people. 83% of Americans say editing human genes to improve intelligence "goes too far."

"Of course they say that," Georgetown University professor Jason Brennan tells Stossel. "When you have any kind of intervention into the body that's new, people think it's icky. And they take that feeling of 'ickiness' and they moralize, and think it's a moral objection."

On TV, Jenna Bush Hager (the former President's daughter) said: "there should be things that we leave up to God. To the universe."

Brennan responds, "I'm not really sure I'm going to take her word for it ... If God appears before me and says, 'don't do this', I'll stop."

Stossel adds: "We already give our kids music lessons, braces, tutoring, karate lessons -- any advantage we can. Why not also give them the best genes?"

In the future, he notes, we could have a world where people are much smarter -- maybe smart enough to avoid wars, to take us to other planets, and other things we can’t even imagine.

But people want the gene-editing technology banned.

Sheldon Krimsky, who advised the government about the practice, argues, "This is going to be a new way to create disparities in wealth."

Brennan responds: “Every bit of technology that we enjoy today follows the same pattern. You look in your automobile, and you have a CD player or an MP3 player, and a GPS ... All of these things, when they first became available, were incredibly expensive," he says. But then the price falls.

Stossel tells Krimsky, "If some people are better, we're all better off for it. Einstein's existence helped everybody."

Krimsky replies: "You can't use the argument that because we've had technological breakthroughs that have helped people, that every single effort on using technology is going to help people … there’s absolutely no justification for creating a eugenic society."

"You're just against change," Stossel tells him. "You're on all these committees with the government. You just want to stop progress unless you give permission ... You're an old fuddy duddy."

"I love change," Krimsky responds. "But I think there are some boundaries ... there are some things that shouldn't be, shouldn't be fuddling around with."

Some have also argued that the technology will start a nasty new competition, that once other people start getting "designer babies" -- everyone will feel they must, too.

"It's not so clear why that's a problem," Brennan says. "If everyone is making their kids healthier and stronger and smarter, and less prone to disease, and you feel social pressure to go along with that, good. Shouldn't you do that, as a parent, for your child?"

[throatwobblermangrove]

I recently argued with a friend who told me that CNN is balanced in its reporting, while others (particularly Fox in his opinion) were biased. I told him to watch anything by John Stossel because you play devil's advocate with every topic, arguing both sides without it turning into a fight. Yes, you have an opinion, and express that, but you give both sides equal time to argue their points. If only every reporter would do so. Thanks for your work.

[NGMonocrom]

Better Maybe we should first start working on better parents. Because it's clear that America is sorely lacking in the latter. On more than one occasion (much more) I've had to teach individuals in their mid-twenties during job interviews why certain forms of behavior are wildly inappropriate. Apparently their parents just couldn't be bothered to do so themselves!

[bucsfan]

Stossel is the best journalist and interviewer of all time.

[EatTravelHappy]

Hi John, just wanted to say thank you. I've enjoy watching your reports for over 30 year's.

[DJ-fnjm]

Mr. John Stossel, you are a a national treasure. If the MSM was half as good as you, we would be in a much better place.

[OnePermutation]

Could they design a baby for me that won't grow up to be a Democrat?🤞

[SehxualPanda]

John Stossel makes a better Scientist than Bill Nye The Socialist Guy

[paquimex]

Amazing job! Showing both sides of the argument, you don't see that often these days

[wiizzpl]

The only thing that scares me about gmo humans is the possibility of creating for example more obedient humans. Basically something like in "Brave new world" but without all the drugs.
And the other really small thing is the intervention in the physical shape of the human body.




*cat girls*

[jamesfreeman]

Why might we want to reconsider all of this?

[Bbbmurr]

it almost sounds like a utopia and we all know how those end up

[AxelAlexK]

Can't say I'm for this. Eugenics is a dangerous rabbit hole to go down. At some point you end up stripping away what it is to be human.

[LinucNerd]

The concept of "unintended consequences" is well known within economics, why do you think this doesn't apply to Genetics? Sure, maybe we understand Genetics REALLY well, but what are the odds we know EVERYTHING about it? Not so high ey?
Sure, I don't mind harvesting genes that occur naturally, don't want a kid with downs syndrome, want a kid that's smart? Etc - that's all fine.
Some people may find this ethically questionable, some may find it ethically questionable not to.
But let's not kid ourselves, trying to modify this sort of stuff under the impression that we know exactly what the consequences are... I don't think so mate; not a wise thing.

[chrissimmons]

How dare they pick the gender
Triggered
😂

[ladiesgentswegothim]

The most complex machine ever discovered (and least understood), and Man is gunna "fix" it.

[DelbertStinkfester]

Design a baby that poops gold nuggets and I'll have another kid

[PaulStringini]

Gotta disagree. I want my descendants to be MY descendants. It's like taking steroids and doping a whole human life. Let's see what the unintended consequences are. The perpetrators never suffer, it's always their subjects.

[TheMosinCrate]

Enter Doctor Malcolm Jurassic Park Quote Here

[mrow]

There was an anime series, Gundam Seed, that a global war started between Natural and Designer People.

[amyh]

I dont know about the opinion of a university professor. These are the same people who make sure college age kids (who should be acting like adults) have "safe spaces" and kick off campus any views that are not theirs so they don't have to hear an opposing view, maybe respectfully learn/debate and grow.