The Rights to Superiority

Daniel Bertch

Introduction: Jonas

My name is Jonas Li; my grandparents immigrated to America from China. My parents are world-renowned scientists in the field of human embryo gene modification, and I was considered their perfect son. I say perfect because I was designed to be genetically superior. I was born late in the first wave of genetic modification on human embryos to create children with ideal characteristics. I am no longer perfect; I am me.

Interview: Jessica and the Issue at Hand

Jessica Weldon walks on stage (a black woman, 5 ft. 10 in., with short hair, wearing a red dress), applause follows. She smiles and says to her audience, "Welcome to this week's episode of Jessica and the Issue at Hand. Today we will hear both sides of the debate on the genetic modification of a human embryo. Mark Velbert, an advocate of government regulation on embryo gene modification, and Aaron Hald, a supporter of embryo gene modification, both renowned and respected in their circles, and considered by both sides of the issue to be experts in the field, come on stage!”

Mark (a man of average build, white, with a black beard and hair) and Aaron (a tall man, white, clean-shaven, and blond hair) walk on stage. Both are in casual wear.

Jessica shakes both their hands, "Thanks for coming." she says to both of them as she does so.

As they all sit down on the stage’s chairs, Jessica says, "First, we will start with a few questions to get the audience familiar with where you two stand on a few things. Mark Velbert and Aaron Hald, can you please state your religious denomination, political leaning, and stance on this particular issue?"

Aaron smiles and says, "I am an atheist."

"I am an atheist as well," Mark responds, then faces Jessica and asks, "What religious denomination are you?"

"Non-denominational Christian," Jessica answers.

Mark responds, "I have heard a large portion of Christians are against the genetic modification of embryos. Do you share that stance?"

Jessica answers, "I am not giving away my stance on the issue until after the show. I do not want to influence the dialog to fit with my views. The questions are for you two. Now, how do you both identify politically?"

Aaron responds, "I am a moderate conservative, with an emphasis on capitalist economics and a strong national defense."

Mark responds, "I am a liberal, with a focus on semi-socialist economics and social freedoms."

Jessica finally asks, "So, what are your views on the subject of embryo gene modification? Many liberals and conservatives think it should be regulated, but they often disagree with how, and as Mark mentioned earlier, many Christian groups, as well as a number of other religions, view it as harmful and unnatural. It is also viewed as the solution to many of humanity's problems by transhumanists."

Mark responds first, "I think it creates an unfair advantage not everyone can afford."

Jessica nods to Aaron, who responds, "I think it advances humanity as a whole by having better thinkers, workers, and leaders."

Jessica nods, and then responds, "You both make good points, which we will explore in more detail later, but first, you yourself had your genes modified as an embryo, right Aaron?"

Aaron responds, "Yes, I was designed to be genetically superior to a normal human being."

The story of the perfect child: Jonas

I grew up in a very wealthy family, and I always got good grades. I had a good life, and my parents were very proud of me. I would get good grades; I would be a good son; they would be proud. Rinse and repeat. I would do things that made them proud, and the more I did those things, the more I began to realize I had never done anything to make them disappointed (not like other children with their parents at least).

Interview: Jessica and the Issue at Hand

Jessica asks, with unapologetic bluntness, "So Aaron, do you think you are superior?"

"Yes," Aaron responds, without any of the nervousness you might expect. He then continues, "I have a genius-level IQ, I am in good health, and it is statistically shown that genetically modified children, on average, do almost 50 percent better in school than other children under the same conditions."

Mark responds, "You are ignoring that an average of 87 percent of children who have been genetically modified come from households with above-average income and resources for their child's education."

Aaron asks Mark, "Are you arguing that they are not genetically superior?"

"No," Mark says, "Just that there is more to it than that. You came from wealth, which probably contributed to your success more than special genes."

Aaron asks, "You are from a low-income household, right? But you made it into prominent colleges, are shown to have a geniuslevel IQ, and are a prominent voice in your circles, all through hard work and natural advantages, without any advantage financially."

Mark counters, "If I had to compete with a large percentage of the upper-class population having enhanced genes, I probably would not have made it where I am, and even then, there were many times my success came from luck, and I easily could have failed beyond hope of recovery, no matter how hard I worked."

Disobedience: Jonas

I showed my mom and dad all the high-level jobs being offered to me once I left college; they were very proud of my accomplishments. Of course, they were! I was given a predisposition to be how they wanted me to be and provided an environment to encourage that predisposition. Nearly every significant decision of my life had been theirs! That is at least what I began to think, but what if I was being paranoid?

I was familiar with the science of embryo gene modification. What I was worried about was definitely possible. I did not want to think it was true, but it became an unavoidable thought. I liked art, I liked science, I liked nature, and I liked music considered to be of good quality (sort of like my parents). I did not have any unseemly tastes beyond what most people had. It was like a wish list of good qualities.

I wanted to make a decision of my own, if for no other reason than to prove I could. There were many simple things I wanted to do that my parents would advise restraint in, but not to the point they never wanted me to do them. I had to think of something not only obviously against what my parents would want me to do, but also something I myself would never do under normal circumstances.

I ultimately decided to buy and use some drugs, something most people my age had done at some point in their lives that I had never had the inclination to do. I knew a guy in my class who had a friend who was a drug user. My money paid for discreet customer service.

I rented a motel room in cash to get high in. I took a shot of heroin in the late afternoon and had woken up at night. I lit a joint as I had lain in bed. It was winter, and the snow was slowly falling from the sky. The marijuana calmed my nerves as I watched the snow continue to fall. I stepped out of my room, and felt the cold air against my face, saw the parking lot’s street lamp shining bright and contrasting the pitch-black sky.

I tried a number of different drugs, my mind wandered, and faded, and expanded, and blurred, and changed, but I was still who I was before, I still had the same goals, the same chances of achieving those goals, and the same reasons for achieving those goals. I still felt that I needed to prove I was a real person.

Interview: Jessica and the Issue at Hand

Jessica looked at both Mark and Aaron as they stared at each other, she knew better than to interrupt authentic debate of this level with pre-recorded questions meant to fill-up time. Her show was popular because she liked to present the sides in a situation with no minced words to appeal to moderates, even though they were her main audience. She always thought the truth in moral questions came from contrasting extremes, but she wasn't sure if it was to show how valid both sides were or how invalid they both were. Conflict makes money either way (she had about the same genus IQ score they bragged about and was just as smart as both of them when it came to her specialty of running her show). They were just returning from a commercial break.

Mark looks at Aaron with disgust and rage, like someone confronting a monster, and says, "If people keep accepting the idea of embryo gene modification, it will create a caste society where the rich are kept rich and in ruling positions by both having superior access to resources and superior genes. It will be extremely improbable most of the poor will ever be able to work their way up!

Even if poor people do save up their money to get their kids enhanced, the chances they will make it to anything other than a lower management position are next to nothing, with all the families' money backing the chance. The poor would lose their will to try to make their situation better because it will be so unlikely they will succeed."

Aaron looks at Mark, with the feeling of someone trying to argue with a child, and says, "If embryo gene modification is made illegal, thousands and thousands, perhaps millions, will die and suffer because of genetic defects that could easily have been prevented. Lethal allergies, debilitating disabilities, it will all continue just like it always has. People will suffer just because not everyone can get their suffering relieved: because helping some people and not others isn't fair.

Tell me, is it fair for the child who is forced to live in pain because someone didn't like the idea of him not being in pain? A child who has done nothing to deserve being in such pain?"

Mark responds, "Okay, you make a good point. Embryo gene modification can have good results in its use, but you must admit, there should be some regulation on this. What about the generations of a family stuck in poverty? What about a parent who ruins their child's life by making them into something that might affect them negatively? A child has no choice what they are modified into. You might say people are trying to make their children “better,” but that is often a very subjective term, and in this case, the subject themselves has no say in the situation."

Aaron looks at Mark with stoic evaluation, and then in an instant he responds, "I don't care! No one has a choice regarding what they are born as. What people do to their children while they aren't even born yet is their right! Who are you to tell someone they can't try to better their child!?"

Downward Spiral: Jonas

I did every drug I could think of, then I had unprotected sex with a number of both male and female prostitutes, I got beat up in several fights. I missed my classes as I did these things. My future slipped away but was still in my grasp. I had gone many nights without sleep.

On my way out of a crack house, I fell down a staircase and broke multiple limbs. I felt real pain, so much so that I could hardly bear it. I called out to the people in the building to get me to a hospital, not knowing if they would take me or not as I began to pass out.

I woke up in a hospital bed to the sound of beeping heart monitors, nurses and doctors giving orders, and people going down the halls. My parents were outside the room crying, and I knew there was no way I would be able to get any of the jobs offered to me earlier. I felt despair, but more than that, I felt a sense of satisfaction. I had made my own decisions, taken my own path. The decisions I made were mine, not theirs.

The doctors tell me I have several STI's, multiple broken bones, and brain damage. I feel a squirming, burning feeling that I can only assume is an addiction to one or more of the drugs I took. I have degenerated beyond any hope of a successful future.

I am no longer the perfect son.

Brain Worms Harmony Oleson

Can you hear them?

They can hear you.

They’re always listening, waiting For you to slip, for you to falter, They never sleep, they only whisper Late into the night, Until early morning, if you’ll listen To the droning sound of tiny voices, Voices that watch you.

Voices that love you. Voices that revel in your doubt. Can you hear them? They remember Everything. Every mistake. Every stare. Every silence.

Are you acting strange?

Do you look weird?

Why are they looking?

Are you speaking oddly?

Did you say something wrong?

Why are they listening why aren’t they listening why why what’s wrong with you what did you do what have you done how dare you how could you it’s you it’s your fault it’s you you you you They can see you. They can hear you. They love you, unlike your friends.

Loneliness is safe. You’ll ruin everything Everything horrible stems from you. But they still cling to you.

They still whisper to you. They’ll never leave you.

And you’ll never change.

Let them settle in, listen to them speak.

You are horrible. You are weak. You aren’t enough. You aren’t worthy Of anything. You are nothing.

They are familiar. They never change. They are comforting. They’re always here.

They are

Terrifying. They are fear.

But you know them. You know this feeling. Knowing is safe. Don’t you want to be safe?