Some Good People Might Be Thrown Out, or Defective Ones Chosen

As I read this New York Times story — ‘Fertility Clinics Scan for the Strongest Embryo — about chromosomal testing of in-vitro fertilization embryos, I kept waiting for the counterpoint to the idea that scientists could help create a purer race.

Finally, the opposition arose:

Still, critics say, if the test is at all inaccurate, some good people might be thrown out or defective ones chosen.

I’m sorry, the actual sentence said “good embryos might be thrown out.”

I don’t know how I made that mistake.

In any case, embryos get “thrown out” whether the test is administered or not.

Don’t let your mind drift as you read the story about the science of producing better offspring by weeding out the bad conceptus.

Try to think about all that great people we’ll create, and the time and money we’ll save by not having so many defectives among us. After all, shouldn’t people have the right to create the kind of offspring they wish when they’re spending so much money to do so? You can customize your car or your computer — why not your little Cassie or Kyle?