3 ms·

Eugenics is one of those words steeped in 20th century baggage. I think there is a parallel to geo-engineering. It sounds like it'll lead someplace troublesome

by netcan 12y ago

Eugenics is one of those words steeped in 20th century baggage. I think there is a parallel to geo-engineering. It sounds like it'll lead someplace troublesome. people can't be trusted with it. OTOH, we have international conferences where they're trying to reach some sort of decisions about how much carbon there should be in the atmosphere. Maybe they'll be deciding how warm it should be, or how much rain europe should be getting. Once we have the ability to influence these things we are geo-engineers, eugenicists, etc. It's not a choice. Not any more than we chose to take horses, ship rats and house cats to every part of the world.

jacquesm 12y ago
Most words that were not invented in the last 15 years are steeped in historical baggage. That doesn't mean that we should not learn from that history. In fact, if people start inventing words for things that we already have words for it's a good time to start paying attention, likely you're being sold on something.
- netcan 12y ago
  I think its more than just the words, it's the concepts themselves. Eugenics is scary, morally complicated, exciting and possibly inevitable. It has some historical associations with fascism and 20th century modernism in general. The whole thing make people uncomfortable. It's hard to criticize when people just get creeped out by the idea. Perhaps this is best left to our grandchildren.
- pbhjpbhj 12y ago
  So because Hitler wanted to wipe out Jewish people we shouldn't suggest that those with hereditary genetic diseases don't have children, or for example make genetic tests available to those who are [hoping to get] pregnant? All of these are called eugenics (though the first is not really focussed on genetic traits); pretending that "eugenics" doesn't carry any baggage because of it's association with Nazi Germany seems pretty disingenuous.

by netcan 12y ago

jacquesm 12y ago

Most words that were not invented in the last 15 years are steeped in historical baggage. That doesn't mean that we should not learn from that history. In fact, if people start inventing words for things that we already have words for it's a good time to start paying attention, likely you're being sold on something.

netcan 12y ago
I think its more than just the words, it's the concepts themselves. Eugenics is scary, morally complicated, exciting and possibly inevitable. It has some historical associations with fascism and 20th century modernism in general. The whole thing make people uncomfortable. It's hard to criticize when people just get creeped out by the idea. Perhaps this is best left to our grandchildren.
pbhjpbhj 12y ago
So because Hitler wanted to wipe out Jewish people we shouldn't suggest that those with hereditary genetic diseases don't have children, or for example make genetic tests available to those who are [hoping to get] pregnant? All of these are called eugenics (though the first is not really focussed on genetic traits); pretending that "eugenics" doesn't carry any baggage because of it's association with Nazi Germany seems pretty disingenuous.