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Scientists may have found a way to eliminate chromosome linked to Down syndrome

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Re: Scientists may have found a way to eliminate chromosome linked to Down syndrome

#221

Post by SarahC_ »

pseudo0 wrote: post #218
jjj123 wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is not a simple test. Ask any straight person if they’d want to turn gay, the vast majority would say no. My guess is they’d say no if you asked the same question about their children. But I’m gay, and while there are pros and cons to it, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. And I don’t think just because someone else doesn’t want to be me is a reasonable bar for eradication. To be clear, I’m not sayin…

Would you want your children to be gay? As a straight person, given the choice I would want my children to be straight, so they could have biological children with their partner and a dating pool of ~48% of the population rather than ~2%. Those are pretty clear objective advantages, even putting aside the issue of societal acceptance. It's completely understandable to have an attachment to one's own identity, but at…

They could always foster some gay kids.... obviously being gay they won't be having gay kids via sex.

Re: Scientists may have found a way to eliminate chromosome linked to Down syndrome

#222

Post by lurk2 »

margalabargala wrote: post #188
lurk2 wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Yes, that is a legitimate argument to make in a cruel, uncaring (most of the time) world. No, it isn’t. “I wish you didn’t exist because your existence inconveniences me,” is a step away from “I should be able to kill you because you inconvenience me.” You will likely think that I am being hyperbolic (“We’re just talking about if it was a good idea for these people to exist, not saying we should be able to kill the…

Yes, very similar to how in the decades after abortion was legalized nationally in the US, it gradually northern to our current state where it is legal to kill your own children any time before they turn 18. Oh wait, no, that didn't happen, because in both your and my case it turns out humans are able to distinguish between life that is and life that might be. The "step" you mentioned is only a small one in a philoso…

> it gradually northern to our current state where it is legal to kill your own children any time before they turn 18.

They’re trying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcHzaWyB21A

Re: Scientists may have found a way to eliminate chromosome linked to Down syndrome

#223

Post by SilasX »

lincon127 wrote: post #172
ghurtado wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See, it's stories like this one that make me really question just how ethical it is to completely eliminate Down's from the gene pool. I understand it's the correct medical and scientific thing to do, it's just that it sometimes feels a little bit like eugenics for me.

It is eugenics, I just don't see how that's a problem. Eugenics isn't inherently bad, you're just thinking of bad eugenics.

Right, there’s eueugenics and dyseugenics.

Re: Scientists may have found a way to eliminate chromosome linked to Down syndrome

#224

Post by cornholio »

Daub wrote: post #203
puppycodes wrote: post #10

Interesting, I wonder what else this might lead too! Encouraging we might be getting somewhere. I used to live near a Down syndrome center where a bunch of folks lived and I remember this one lady who was kitted out with Britney Spears everything, lunchbox, t-shirt, hat, and headphones. Everyday I passed by the bus stop she would be dancing her heart out to a Britney track waiting for the bus and it made my world a l…

I run the risk of being downvoted on this issue, but there is a personality type associated with downs syndrome. My experience of living in a community of down syndrome young people certainly supported this, but there has also been quite a bit of research on the matter... search Google Scholar and you will see a ton. In brief: very social, positive minded and very creative. Importantly, this seemed not to be effected…

[flagged]

Re: Scientists may have found a way to eliminate chromosome linked to Down syndrome

#225

Post by esseph »

creakingstairs wrote: post #56
mathgeek wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Everyday I passed by the bus stop she would be dancing her heart out to a Britney track waiting for the bus and it made my world a little brighter. As someone who absolutely loves to "be weird", I often wish the world was so much friendlier to folks like this (other than in a token manner).

Is it just me or do I feel like the society is way more accepting nowadays? I had to pretty much hide who I was during school due to fear of bullying/ not fitting in but most kids these days seem to be able to be themselves in many ways. I agree we can be friendlier though!

That really depends on where you are in the world right at this minute.

Re: Scientists may have found a way to eliminate chromosome linked to Down syndrome

#226

Post by SilasX »

jjj123 wrote: post #197
trhway wrote: post #194

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the test is simple - would you like to get Dawn chromosome yourself? Or may be have your children get it? I’m sure the answer is No.

That is not a simple test. Ask any straight person if they’d want to turn gay, the vast majority would say no. My guess is they’d say no if you asked the same question about their children. But I’m gay, and while there are pros and cons to it, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. And I don’t think just because someone else doesn’t want to be me is a reasonable bar for eradication. To be clear, I’m not sayin…

Gideon’s Crossing:

“[A cochlear implant for my kid?] You think hearing people are better than deaf people?”

‘I’m saying it’s easier.’

“Would your life be easier if you were white?”

Re: Scientists may have found a way to eliminate chromosome linked to Down syndrome

#227

Post by bluefirebrand »

WA wrote: post #198
foolfoolz wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

we are going to become very good at this. eliminating genetic errors, choosing to be straight, tall, etc

Homosexuality is not genetic.

Interesting.

Where do traits that aren't genetic come from then?

Re: Scientists may have found a way to eliminate chromosome linked to Down syndrome

#228

Post by inglor_cz »

smeej wrote: post #122
typewithrhythm wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seeing a minute fraction of their existence is a rubbish way to make a judgement. Most of they bring to the world is random rage, unspeakable fluids, and unpleasant interactions. But I guess driving past safari style is fine.

What? Are you talking about real, live people with Down Syndrome? Surveys have consistently shown that they and those who live with them (which is no safari) are happier than everyone else. That wouldn't make much sense if "most" of what they bring to the world is "unpleasant interactions."

There must be some selection effect at work. "Those who live with them" are the ones who have chosen to live with them, which excludes:

a) all who have learnt about the situation before birth and chose abortion,

b) all who gave the kid away to some institution.

A N == 1 case from my life. My classmate had a Down kid at 20 - very rare, as Down is not typical in young mothers. She seems to be happy, even though she sacrificed her dream of a bigger family for him; it was so challenging having a Down kid that she didn't have any other.

But the father absconded and wants nothing to have with his disabled son.

Re: Scientists may have found a way to eliminate chromosome linked to Down syndrome

#229

Post by twixfel »

vtbassmatt wrote: post #123
shadowgovt wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FWIW, since Down's is caused by (we're pretty sure) mitotic error, it can't be completely eliminated from the gene pool. 99% of cases did not occur on hereditary lines. With or without the existence of the treatment, Down's cases would continue to surface. So it's in the category of "treatments parents could choose to apply to their offspring," and generally parents get pretty broad leeway there in choice of the kind…

As the parent of a child with Down syndrome, I really appreciate the way you and the parent comment approached this topic. Thank you. Tiny nit, in the US it’s “Down syndrome”, not “Down’s”. Apparently we name conditions with a possessive if named for someone with it (“Lou Gehrig’s”) and without the possessive if named for, say, the person who first described the condition in a medical journal.

In the UK for example we don’t go for this performative anti-apostropheism that Americans are so fond of. So it really depends on where you’re from.

Re: Scientists may have found a way to eliminate chromosome linked to Down syndrome

#230

Post by pseudo0 »

SarahC_ wrote: post #221
pseudo0 wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would you want your children to be gay? As a straight person, given the choice I would want my children to be straight, so they could have biological children with their partner and a dating pool of ~48% of the population rather than ~2%. Those are pretty clear objective advantages, even putting aside the issue of societal acceptance. It's completely understandable to have an attachment to one's own identity, but at…

They could always foster some gay kids.... obviously being gay they won't be having gay kids via sex.

It's a hypothetical question... But plenty of gay people have children through surrogacy, or they adopt prior to determining the child's sexuality.
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