Aldous Huxleys Brave New World and the Movie Gattaca - Genetic Engineering and Its Effects on People - Essay Example

Aldous Huxleys Brave New World and the Movie Gattaca Genetic Engineering and Its Effects on People Huxley’s book opens up revealing a unified vast majority with limitless goods and resources following to permanent limitation of the population. This society as depicted in the book exists in a stable and peaceful global society where everyone lives happily. The permanent limitation is a result of elimination of natural reproduction and subsequent replacement with the creation of children through a process known as decanting.

After being raised in hatcheries and conditioning centers, the children undergo sub division in to castes and depending on the placement, they occupy certain predetermined positions in the social and economic strata. On the other hand, Gattaca by Niccol seeks to present a biological vision whereby in the future, liberal eugenics drives the society through the selection of potential children through pre-implantation genetic processes. Through this envisioned process, best hereditary traits of the parents are maintained and passed down to their children while comparatively vague traits undergo elimination.

Most importantly, the movie shows concern on the effects and consequences of the reproductive technologies that facilitate eugenics. Evidently, both Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Gattaca by Andrew Niccol seek to enhance and adopt the engineering advancements allowing genetic alteration to produce a new generation of humans. However, both illustrate a certain degree of fear of the outcome as well as the effects resulting from excessive genetic engineering on people. At the outset, evidence shows Dr.

Lamar’s battle within himself stating human nature as the problem. He says that creation of genetically superior society consequences to snatching away of the rights and dreams of the society born as “God-children.” This quote clearly illustrates the detrimental idealism behind genetic engineering. Realistically, the story in Gattaca mainly seeks to show how aspects of desire and heart prove to be immeasurable but through an ironic way. Moreover, Lenina in Brave New World quotes that everyone works for everyone else.

This quote focuses on insisting on the neutrality of humans even with the attempts to create a difference through genetic alteration. Furthermore, this quote depicts the equality of both “species,” regardless of caste, to death. Moreover, Gattaca portrays a new world in which everybody, especially the successful, undergoes genetic alteration to perfect their DNA. Vincent further insists on the need for genetic alteration to become successful when he quotes that the normal humans who have not been genetically altered are outcasts with less capability in the real world.

In other words, the statement points out that a human’s potential mainly depends on the DNA. Similarly, Huxley mentions that the main reason for sub dividing the children into castes is to determine those unique enough and best fit to occupy predetermined positions on the world state. This clarifies the perception of the dissimilarity in humans by both Huxley in Brave New World as well as Niccol in Gattaca. In conclusion, both sources show their unremitting urge for adoption of the now-available engineering technology to shape the future to their desires.

However, in their own vague ways, they perceive persistent use of genetic engineering as the main cause of dissimilarity in the society. Furthermore, both sources fear their active contribution in the slow but evident discrimination and elimination of humanity. Works CitedEbert, Roger. Gattaca. Chicago Sun Times. 24 Oct. 2007. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. Retrieved from < http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/gattaca-1997> Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. Print.

Morgan, Sally. Genetic Engineering: The Facts. London: Evans Brothers, 2006. Print.