# Universal Genetic Health?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-genetic-health/977959>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [January 10, 2023, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-genetic-health/977959 "2023-01-10T09:01:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 10

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**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2023, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-genetic-health/977959/10 "2023-01-10T15:06:14Z")

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> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> If the parents get to decide, an astonishing fraction of parents will decide based on what’s best for them, not best for the kid. While rationalizing all along that they’re doing it for the kid’s sake.

Yes, there’s going to be some inherent conflict between these elements. The first rule will have to be implemented by some external system. Not forcing changes on parents, but _forbidding_ changes that can’t be objectively shown to be beneficial to the individual. Like some kind of family court, that evaluates the reasons for the change, and can disallow things like, “I want my kid to be 6’10” so he can get in the NBA!" The goal would be to maximize the kid’s potential choices in life, and being genetically tunneled towards one specific job reduces such choices.

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