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Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

theatlantic.com

141–150 of 153 posts

Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#141
post #14

I found an older half sister via one of these tests. The demotion from oldest to second oldest has been a bitter pill, but having a new older sister is pretty neat!

I found my father through one, sadly he never had any other children. It would have been fun to instantly gain some new siblings. Because I first met him well into my adulthood it was interesting to learn his likes and dislikes since there's no question he didn't directly influence anything I did or didn't do.

We're both avid readers, we both like to live clutter-free lifestyles, we both like to travel. I learned to fly as a hobby and seriously considered it as a career, he was a pilot in the armed services and then professionally until he retired. We both like to go fast: I drove a late 60's Mustang in college, he had a Porsche speedster. Really the only thing we're opposed on is politics as he says "he's slightly to the right of Genghis Khan."

Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#142
post #28

You mean misattributed paternity. Misattributed parentage happens mainly to men. It's a much more involved process to defraud a woman of her child than a man.

We went with the phrase used in the article. Since some people don't know that they were adopted, it's not just about paternity.

I didn't say it was just about paternity, just that it is mainly about paternity. Similar to how breast cancer is mainly a women's issue, despite some men getting it as well. The article makes something that is not equal seem equal. That was my one nit.

Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#143
post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How can you be free if you are under continual surveillance your ever action judged in real time on mass, your ever past action judged based on the current feelings of the day, your every comment, word spoken, person you interacted with, etc judged and recriminated on a on going basis. Every movement monitored, every interaction recorded. Are you free in such a society? I say no....

I take "free" to mean that no one else decides what I should do.

So if a mugger has a gun to your head and say "Your money or your life" do you have freedom because you have a choice to choose???

No one is deciding if you should choose to give up your money

That may be hyperbolic but it is the logical conclusion to your statement.

This same argument is used by people to justify their mob mentality when going after people for wrong think and target their employment, and business relationships while claiming to support free speech believing that free speech is only violated if government is censoring

I reject this idea that freedom is only limited by governments

Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#144
post #14

I found an older half sister via one of these tests. The demotion from oldest to second oldest has been a bitter pill, but having a new older sister is pretty neat!

I found my father through one, sadly he never had any other children. It would have been fun to instantly gain some new siblings. Because I first met him well into my adulthood it was interesting to learn his likes and dislikes since there's no question he didn't directly influence anything I did or didn't do. We're both avid readers, we both like to live clutter-free lifestyles, we both like to travel. I learned to…

Talking with my new sister certainly has changed my opinions on nature versus nurture and freewill.

Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#145
post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I take "free" to mean that no one else decides what I should do.

So if a mugger has a gun to your head and say "Your money or your life" do you have freedom because you have a choice to choose??? No one is deciding if you should choose to give up your money That may be hyperbolic but it is the logical conclusion to your statement. This same argument is used by people to justify their mob mentality when going after people for wrong think and target their employment, and business re…

> So if a mugger has a gun to your head and say "Your money or your life" do you have freedom because you have a choice to choose???

That would be a prototypical case of _not_ being free.

Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The French government claims that fatherhood is determined by society It is. A child does not need to be genetically related to their parents. Adoption is a common practice.

Legal fatherhood is determined by law. Biological fatherhood is determined by science/genetics. Also, adoption isn't a common practice. Adoptions happen, but they are rare. Ideally, legal and biological fatherhood should be one and the same. That way you can find your genetic history for medical purposes and legal family tree for historical purposes. But tragically, in a few cases, legal and biological fathers are no…

> Ideally [...] But tragically,

This is of course a value judgement. I'm sure many adoptees would disagree with your assessment that their situation is tragic.

Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Legal fatherhood is determined by law. Biological fatherhood is determined by science/genetics. Also, adoption isn't a common practice. Adoptions happen, but they are rare. Ideally, legal and biological fatherhood should be one and the same. That way you can find your genetic history for medical purposes and legal family tree for historical purposes. But tragically, in a few cases, legal and biological fathers are no…

> Ideally [...] But tragically, This is of course a value judgement. I'm sure many adoptees would disagree with your assessment that their situation is tragic.

> This is of course a value judgement.

It's a biological and common sense judgment.

> I'm sure many adoptees would disagree with your assessment that their situation is tragic.

Ideally ( all things being equal ), adoptees would want to be with their "ideal" biological parents. Of course if the biological parents are dead, abusive or too poor to provide for them ( tragic ), then adoption is better than nothing. But I can't think of any child who wouldn't want to be with their biological parents all things being equal.

Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This statement is highly uncharitable to your interlocutor above and frankly ignorant of the history of sexual assault prosecutions in the US. Once again, we are talking about western society today, not in history. I already acknowledged in my comment that things were different in the past. > "she was engaged in dangerous behaviour - that couldn't happen to someone like me". Once again, a foreigner pushing "rape cu…

What makes you think marchenko is not a US citizen? Regardless, my original comment said "Western Culture", not "American Culture". Here in Australia I have definitely seen comments and heard people victim blame rape victims for their behavior. Don't try and say that it's only an Australian thing, for sure it happens in the USA too. Why would you accuse me of lying?

> What makes you think marchenko is not a US citizen?

The dead giveaway is "behaviour".

> Regardless, my original comment said "Western Culture", not "American Culture".

Your original comment referenced "western society". I referenced america because I'm american.

> Here in Australia I have definitely seen comments and heard people victim blame rape victims for their behavior, for sure it happens in the USA too.

Really? You've heard it? By whom? The media? Government officials? Judges? People in power? By society at large? Give me a break.

> Why would you accuse me of lying?

Because you lied. You implied that western society blames women. I already responded to you that was not the case. I responded directly to your comment that western society at large believes the accuser de facto and assumes the guilt of the accused. We as a society, in the US and I'm sure australia too, initially take the alleged victim's side. And as I said, even when the alleged victim turns out to be a liar, we ( as a society ) protect her identity.

But boy, there sure are a lot of foreign elements here pushing the divisive "US/West" is pro-rape and anti-women rhetoric. A couple of accounts responded with similar "personal anecdotes". I've heard people say "kill all men" or "women belong in the home". Doesn't mean that society at large supports fringe rhetoric.

Lets put it simply. When a woman says a man raped her. If you think our ( societal ) initial reaction to that is "what were you wearing" rather than being disgusted at the man, then you are lying.

Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#149
post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Kids have nothing to do with the honesty of your partner.

I'm pretty sure qubex means he does not want to raise someone else's kid, let alone his own.

Pretty much, or rather: I’d rather not be invested in the future beyond my death. My partner and I have sometimes discussed adoption (despite being able to conceive) and maybe we’ll go that route if and when stuff settles down enough for uncertainty to reach manageable levels.
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