Blog #5 Essay 1

Veeshoka Mudwari

English 101- 0768

Dr . Vasilieiou

Essay #1

10/15/12

Perfection Seeks Equality and Freedom

Gattaca is a society consisting of genetically engineered humans with higher intellect and better personality who are opportuned to live a beautiful, disease free, happy life. However, along with these “super species”, the society also comprises of normally born humans with normal acumen and looks who are destined to have a default life and do menial jobs. Taking in consideration, Annas’s view in the essay “Man on The Moon” and few other examples, Gattaca is bound to be considered dystopia because of its prejudiced approach to life and ignorance to human spirit and aspirations.

     The entire concept of Gattaca society is based on discrimination on the process of birth of a child, which clearly makes it a dystopia. Underdogs like Vincent have a default life for the absurd reason that they were an outcome of their parent’s love and not an outcome of their parent’s best genetic combination. By stating”It is the meaning of humanness (our distinction from other animals) that has given birth to the concept of both human dignity and human rights” (pg. 235- location 3516, Science and Philosophy, Amazon.com), in the essay, Annas  reflects the concept of humanity by taking in consideration the need of human rights and human dignity. However, as projected in the movie, Gatacca society denies the right of a normally born child to make a choice for his future.  Vincent lost his right to carry on his father’s name. Moreover, he was made to believe that he was weaker than his brother. When Vincent says, “the defect lies in my genes” (before his first job interview), the ruthlessness of the society to normal people and helplessness of the inner heart of the normal people was reflected.  Thus, Gattaca society is actually an example of a prejudiced society which ignored the prime ingredients of humanity, which are human rights and equality, undoubtedly, making it an apt example for dystopia.

     The Gattaca society overpassed emulation of normal born human beings to achieve their goals. As projected in the movie, the only way to accomplish the aim for those normal people like Vincent, was to fake their identity.   For them, dreaming, aspiring and believing were like jokes faith played with them.  When Vincent showed his interest on space travel, his own father shook his confidence by saying that the only reason he could ever enter a space craft was to clean it. Similarly, when Vincent cleaned the glass of the office, the old man sarcastically said him not to clean it too clearly otherwise he might get second thought. By saying all this, they constantly tried to oppress Vincent’s inner confidence. Thus, society lacked the concept of scope of improvement in human beings. They merely distinguished two kinds of people; genetically engineered and normal born and then and set a boundaries like what job they are capable to perform. However there have been incidents in past where the restrictions of by society to a person’s limitation held untrue. Albert Einstein, whose name is taken as a synonym for “genius”, was actually born with learning disabilities. He was regarded as a “below average” student by his teachers. Similarly, Opera Winfrey, who has been one of the most iconic faces on TV, had once been fired by television channels saying that she lacked stage presence. (Source: www.online college.org)  However, these and many other known and unknown figures ignored the barrier society had set for them and rose above all to prove themselves by their inner spirit and enthusiasm towards their goal. Thus, the Gattaca society, despite its great scientific accomplishment, portrays of a dystopian world which ignores the upliftment of human soul to achieve what people aspire to become.

      Undoubtedly, Gattaca had an impeccable side, such as eradication of terminal illness, environmentally safe means of transportations and similar scientific breakthroughs, which people might assume as utopian factor. However, can eradication of terminal body illness also eradicate the mental restlessness a heart feels when it is made to believe inferior not for the reason of its act but for the reason of its birth?  Can an environmental friendly vehicle drive away hatred for a person’s own identity? Certainly not!!  No matter how advanced or modern science become, there is no way a person can become happy merely by getting materialistic satisfaction. In the essay, Annas states, “Novelty is not progress, and technique cannot substitute for life’s meaning and purpose,”(234 location 3498, Science and Philosophy, Amazon. Com) by which he explains that genetic engineering, though being an example of modernity, can never be assumed as perfection and mere techniques to achieve the uniqueness must not be supposed as a reciprocation of the vast inexplicable meaning of life.

      Despite great scientific inventions, the society of Gattaca limits the freedom of responsibility of human towards their lives and what they can make out of it and distinguishes the normal born for no specific humanitarian reason. Thus, it is to be considered a projection of dystopian world.