We're used to thinking of our genes as being a bit like fate. They have a part in determining how our lives play out, but that's it, and other factors matter t

We're used to thinking of our genes as being a bit like fate. They have a part in determining how our lives play out, but that's it, and other factors matter too. This does a rapidly evolving field a tremendous disservice. Genetics is becoming an immensely practical field. e.g. Genetic sequencing is now cheap enough to be easily affordable. Certain genes can greatly increase your chance of cancer. However, this isn't just fate we must passively accept. Armed with the knowledge revealed by sequencing, you can be regularly screened for the specific types of cancer you're most likely to get. Some genetic mutations, while making people more susceptible to cancer, also makes any cancer they develop susceptible to alternative treatments like gene therapy that are more effective and carry fewer negative side-effects than chemotherapy or radiation therapy. i.e. Cancer cells aren't some alien invader. They have our genes and our genetic defects too. These weaknesses can sometimes be exploited to kill cancer cells if we know about them. Joy may play a huge part in our well-being, but discovering and acting on our poor genes can have a huge impact on our lives. We should stop viewing our genes as fate and instead view them more like the parts of an engine. We can address defects in those parts proactively, but only if we go to the trouble of looking under the hood.