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Ethical Issues In Gattaca The Movie

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The movie Gattaca is set up in the fictional not-too-distant future. The not-too-distant future is a society in which eugenics are the dictating ideology and genetic discrimination is real. The use of biometric based on the genetic database registry has helped create two categories of people; the ‘valids’ and the ‘invalids’. The ‘valids’ are those individual who are created based on the choices of the biometrics and are seen as actually being superior that the invalids who have been conceived by tradition la means and are regarded as having a higher likelihood of developing genetic disorders. Genetype profiling is significantly applied in identification of valids for purposes of quality employment with the invalids being subjected to those lower quality jobs. Vincent Freeman is conceived as an invalid and is regarded to have an estimated lifespan of just 30.2 years and the probability of many disorders. Vincent’s parents out of the frustration and regret decide to have their next child through genetic selection and this led to the birth of Anton; an invalid. Vincent and Anton grew together and they would regularly play a competitive game of ‘chicken where they would swim into the sea and he who returns first to the shore being labeled the loser. …show more content…

Today, genetic selection has become a reality and it is being applied widely as a case for selective abortion. Today,. A majority of parents are insisting on genetic selection to determine the health status of their child, their mental and cognitive capabilities before birth and thus utilize this as a justification for retaining a pregnancy or conducting what is widely being labeled as selective abortion. The case of recombinant DNA is fast gaining pace in animal and plant genetic engineering and the possibility of being applied in humans is rapidly gaining

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In the modern world, discrimination, whether based on race, gender, or any other similar characteristic, is outlawed in most of the western world. However, what if in the future, a person could be discriminated against for having imperfect DNA? This question is the core question being addressed in the film Gattaca. In Gattaca, people are separated into two castes: valids and invalids. A person’s caste determines how much that person will succeed in his or her life.

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This world is a hostile one for the In-Valids. However, the engineered (Valids) people have the opportunities to do whatever they so desire. Although discrimination is illegal, people still discriminate and judge people according to their genetic makeup. Furthermore, characteristics such as personality, beliefs, values, and one’s moral code are considered irrelevant.

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Gattaca is set in the “not-too-distant future” (Gattaca) where our genes dictate everything about us. A single piece of hair, skin or a drop of blood control what you can or cannot do with your life and what you’re capable of achieving. In this dystopian world, society’s measure of success is governed by science and individuals are separated by the standards of perfection. The only way for Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) to achieve his dream of going into space is by hiding his own identity and transforming from an “In-Valid” to a “Valid” (Gattaca). The film’s opening quotes distinctly demonstrate the ethical issues the film will constantly question throughout.

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