Aspects of Gattaca
The Aspects of Gattaca: Genetic Makeup
Jenelle Brooks December 12, 2011 ENG 2009G-003 Dr. M. Martinez
Gattaca is a movie directed by Andrew Niccol and the film is set in the “not too distant future.” Andrew Niccol perception of the future isn 't what most people expect, but once thought about carefully it seems quite believable. This movie presents us with a new method in which society strives for perfection and it also makes us wonder if genetic engineering is morally correct. Your place in society in Gattaca is based on your genetic makeup and the way you were born. People born the way we know as natural are “in-valids.” On the other hand people born with the aid of genetic engineering are “valids.” An “in-valid” has his/her future set out to be a cleaner or other insignificant job in society which doesn 't require an education. A new form of prejudice has been recently debated about, which is the idea of having greater or second-rate genes. The content of the film Gattaca suggests a close relationship to the social-conflict paradigm. Basically the conflict is shifted from our current levels of social inequity in race and financial status to whether or not an individual has the best DNA helix. The persons, in the case of the in-valids, are doomed to a life of inferiority due to a lack of the more desirable genes. These people are no less capable than we are today yet given the technology society has created based on nothing more than whether you are genetically predisposed for socially unacceptable characteristics. On the other hand, individuals with the more favorable genetic traits are handed their lives on a silver platter only because technology can give them the best DNA. And when an individual challenges the higher up person they are considered deviant. In this case they are considered degenerate.
Over the years of a less than productive life Vincent realized that
Jenelle Brooks December 12, 2011 ENG 2009G-003 Dr. M. Martinez
Gattaca is a movie directed by Andrew Niccol and the film is set in the “not too distant future.” Andrew Niccol perception of the future isn 't what most people expect, but once thought about carefully it seems quite believable. This movie presents us with a new method in which society strives for perfection and it also makes us wonder if genetic engineering is morally correct. Your place in society in Gattaca is based on your genetic makeup and the way you were born. People born the way we know as natural are “in-valids.” On the other hand people born with the aid of genetic engineering are “valids.” An “in-valid” has his/her future set out to be a cleaner or other insignificant job in society which doesn 't require an education. A new form of prejudice has been recently debated about, which is the idea of having greater or second-rate genes. The content of the film Gattaca suggests a close relationship to the social-conflict paradigm. Basically the conflict is shifted from our current levels of social inequity in race and financial status to whether or not an individual has the best DNA helix. The persons, in the case of the in-valids, are doomed to a life of inferiority due to a lack of the more desirable genes. These people are no less capable than we are today yet given the technology society has created based on nothing more than whether you are genetically predisposed for socially unacceptable characteristics. On the other hand, individuals with the more favorable genetic traits are handed their lives on a silver platter only because technology can give them the best DNA. And when an individual challenges the higher up person they are considered deviant. In this case they are considered degenerate.
Over the years of a less than productive life Vincent realized that
Cited: Gattaca. Dir. Andrew Niccol. Perf. Jude Law, Uma Thurman, Ethan Hawke. Columbia Pictures, 1997. DVD.