If you had the opportunity to genetically design your baby, would you?

[BraidsGirl]

So imagine we are in the future... designer babies are in fashion, it has been tested to be 100% safe and works everytime. You and your partner decide you want to start a family... or make an addition to it and your doctor tells you about this opportunity. You can pick the best traits from you and your partner's genes and decide its gender and maybe even personality, basically it's create-a-sim for babies.
Would you do it?

Yes!

No...

[Xelebrum]

Yes, but only to the extent that I can make sure that my baby isn't born with any genetic defects, physical/mental illnesses, and has the best genes possible.

I wouldn't mess with it's personality though (unless he/she ends up a shithead). I want to have a child with my future wife, whom I want to be someone that I love with all my heart. So I want my child to be the best of both me and the love of my life :)

Before any of you say "Well they won't end up with a bad personality if you raise them right": While that's true for the MOST part, there ARE some cases where no matter how well the kid is brought up, he or she will STILL be a piece of shit.

[BraidsGirl]

Yep, are children born with a personality? or does their upbringing determine their personality? Kagan or Bowlby? Who truly knows?

[Xelebrum]

It's a mix of both. Some of the traits we all have come straight from our parents, who they themselves developed those traist through a mix of both their own parents and their environment and how they were raised, and the rest is developed over time thanks to our upbringing and environment.

For example, let's say you got your sense of humor and comedic skills from your dad (who both had a funny dad and learn jokes on his own) and you got your loving heart from your mom. So of course you're naturally funny and a sweetheart. But then let's say your parents die while you're a toddler, and you're sent to an orphanage where you get bullied and forced to do sick shit. You then developed a very dark, sometimes morbid sense of humor that's different from your dad's. You turn 18 and leave that place, and along the way you fall for a guy who's sweet at first but turns out to be a real piece of shit. Yeah you have a loving heart, but now you have trust issues too and loathe the idea of love.

[Xelebrum]

So while you have dominant traits from both your parents, your upbringing and your environment can change those traits and even become dominant over them to the point where while you are still somewhat similar to your parents, you're also VERY different.

[BraidsGirl]

I 100% agree with you here... thanks for that really thoughtful answer

[Xelebrum]

Well thank you! And you're welcome too! :)

[foxloversi]

If we had a chance to do it it would be irresponsible not to. There are so many possible defects in our genome that could be transferred on a child. I think this is just a question of time and I see nothing wrong with gene manipulation somewhere in near future.

Some will say this means we're playing gods. Nonsense. Are we playing gods when pregnant women go on numerous ultrasound checkups? In my view this is just one step further of having a healthy child.

[BraidsGirl]

True but a world with everyone perfect seems abit weird to me. Would you go to the extent of choosing it's personality?

[foxloversi]

I don't think genes are a dominant factor in creation of personality, it's mostly up to environment. Maybe you can set some general characteristics with gene manipulation and prevent your kid becoming a psychopath, for example.

I also don't think everyone would be perfect as you suggest. The criteria for being perfect is different from individual to individual. A person that's perfect to you is maybe just average for me. The world would still be diverse but without many, many diseases and suffering.

[BraidsGirl]

I agree

[MISSAttitude]

I would only choose that option if there was a chance the child could get a medical problem of some sort. Like for instance, I wouldn't want my future children to have my asthma. I also know depression and bipolar disorder run in my family. I'm lucky not to have problems with that, but I have seen what it can do to people's emotions. I wouldn't want my kids to have those issues.

[BraidsGirl]

I think that's the only case that I would do it aswell

[Hannah591]

No. I think mother nature does a pretty fine job of it already! I would only genetically alter a baby if I knew they were going to be born with a serious disease/deformity/illness etc. and I would try to prevent that as much as possible, for their best interest.

[Frost_Byt3]

If i did want kids, i would DEFINITELY do this. I don't want my children to suffer like i did all my life. I would make them walking perfection. But of course i would give them some traits that would make them unique such as my blonde hair, blue eyes, and big feet :D

[godfatherfan]

Certainly, why wouldn't you? It is the premise of the movie Gattaca.
if you had the opportunity to give your child the best life possible you would be negligent as a parent if you didn't. I think the only ones that might say no are either the idealistic young kids or older ones without kids. I don't see how anyone that has a child would not want that.

[BraidsGirl]

That movie was in my mind when I wrote this lol. Don't you think that doing this will result in genetic discrimination, If you're not perfect you can't do certain things?

[godfatherfan]

it is always possible. but I think it is inevitable. However, knowing what a big issue it is can help keep such things from happening. Thankfully that kind of thing will not be possible until long after I am gone. Even if they come up with the ability in my lifetime, having enough of society be that way will take generations. so it won't affect me or my children.

[YourFutureEx]

img3.wikia.nocookie.net/.../Baby_hitler.jpg
...
m.quickmeme.com/.../...8916dd97b176328159d2f9d.jpg
Bring it on, baby!

[BraidsGirl]

Do you think this is a form of genocide?

[YourFutureEx]

Why do you doubt?

[BraidsGirl]

I kind of agree but I don't think it will be genocide, more like imperfectionocide? if that even makes sense lol?

[YourFutureEx]

Well, my mind + her looks = Hitler
Isn't that genocide?

[BraidsGirl]

not really but okay

[YourFutureEx]

But you mentioned that 'personality' too :(

[BraidsGirl]

Oh yeah, sorry

[TheBootyChest]

but I would be careful not to get TOO picky. Just enough to make sure the baby is healthy and has good level of respect for people.

[GreenTeaIceCreamPlz]

I would do it only to prevent diseases and genetic issues; I'm not a huge fan of "build your own baby"

[BellePepper]

If there was a way to ensure my kid wouldn't have the health issues I do, I would do it.

[BraidsGirl]

Yep, the baby can be as 'perfect' as you want it to be

[BellePepper]

That's cool but surprisingly painful idea to think about.

[GymBumGuy]

i am all for screening for diseases but i would prefer them to be natural and be like me and my partner

[BraidsGirl]

Yeah me too because there's more to life than having the perfect personality and perfect appearance

[nerdygirly]

Isn't that playing God's part? Either way it seems wrong messing with nature.

[BraidsGirl]

True, but what if you or your partner had a genetic disease that was likely to get passed on to your child, would you do it then to give your child the best future possible?

[Mikebr25]

No way! The random combination is part of the amazement.

[CincinnatiRedsfan]

I would not genetically design a baby, because I would want my baby to be natural. I like allowing God and nature take over.

[itsallover]

Nah, I don't think I could mess around with nature.

[Jersey1]

Lol, not a single one of those that said yes would have been the DNA set selected by their parents. :)

[abundantlyrich]

Taller, stronger, resistance to weather extremity and process information way faster than I do.

[abundantlyrich]

He could be a sumo baby.

[crayven]

Yes.
Why risk genetic life ruining diseases when i can be sure.
Nature can go fuck itself.

[hypno-trip]

As long as they don't have diseases I'm not going to mess with their genes

[Strider90]

Hell yeah! That is of course if I could ever have one.

[Anonymous]

If I ever had a child with my future wife, then if she was okay with it, I would. If she wasn't, then that's the end of that.

[Klaatu51]

nope... coz i don't wanna have babies :-P

[BraidsGirl]

But if you did want babies?

[Klaatu51]

nope again LOL

[princessmethteeth]

Nope. There's no fun in that.

[princessmethteeth]

I'll gladly design your baby for you though...

[BraidsGirl]

lol wut?

[princessmethteeth]

Well I am a biological engineer... Anyway, we're not there yet. High throughput sequencing is where it is at for now... I can see how I might be involved in activities like that 30 year from now, so like I said I'll gladly design your baby for you for a nice lump of cash. I still wouldn't do that with my own child though.

[BraidsGirl]

That's actually really interesting. I don't think I would do it though

[fettario]

I'd make him very smart

[sagari]

Nope I want to be surprised by the outcome.

[emerald77]

No. I would want it to be a surprise!

[Anonymous]

NO. JUST FUCKING NO.

[HollywoodGlam]

Yeah sure!

[Anonymous]

I would yes.