Gene Editing

The editing of genes - once a thing of the future, now an immediate reality. With rapidly advancing CRISPR technology, humanity now has the power to edit the genes of an organism at will. With this, we could potentially eliminate genetic diseases and save lives. On the other hand, this newfound advancement could lead to a dystopian future. Gene editing, despite its great capacity for good, also has enormous ethical implications. If parents became able to edit the genes of their children at will, they would make their children exactly how they want them to be. Unfortunately, this would result in most children looking similar, being similarly intelligent and athletic, and essentially becoming the same. In the worst scenario, gene editing could become a eugenics problem, with people making children to conform to a certain standard. Even if we make laws to limit gene editing to genetic diseases, people fear that standards may slip, or the definition of a "genetic disease" might change. In addition, there is a fear that only the rich would have access to gene editing, increasing the class divide. If the technology is made available to private companies and hospitals, the wealthy might pay to have their children's genes edited against the law. The question society must face is whether or not the reward is worth the risk. Is the potential to save thousands of lives worth the risk that gene editing becomes misused?