Genetic Nightmares

Paper Summary:

The paper describes how the film "Gattaca" is a look into a possible future based on the concerns people have today about DNA testing, genetic engineering, privacy and similar issues. The paper discusses how the film raises a number of questions about what these trends might lead to in the near future and the film plays directly on fears that have been expressed by many people today. The world depicted in the film is centered on a huge corporation that monitors its employees closely and that makes decisions on the basis of genetics. The paper highlights the danger that a few scientific facts can become an excuse for unlimited social control.

From the Paper:

"The main character is Vincent, who has found a way around the system and is passing as a man named Jerome. Every morning, he goes through a ritual to install the hair, skin cells, and urine of a crippled man named Jerome, a man who would have had a bright future if he had not been crippled in an accident. Jerome dreams of going into space, which is the business of Gattaca, and he is about to fulfill that dream unless he is uncovered and his true genetic make-up discovered. This might happen because the director of the project has been murdered, and the police investigation could discover the truth about Vincent's DNA."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Niccol, A. Gattaca. Columbia Pictures, 1997.

More papers on Genetic Nightmares:

• Article Review # 143315 : "The Genetic Revolution"
• Term Paper # 6983 : "Genetic Cloning"
• Argumentative Essay # 102611 : "Cloning Human Dignity: Ethical Implications"

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