By Ray Chang
Among an expansive world where populations, technologies, and political nuances showcase consistent progress, humanity has always been seeking to quench the insatiable thirst for invention. In the light of the 21st century, CRISPR technology emerges as a novel and sophisticated tool to advance endeavors in biotechnology via gene editing. Although the concepts of perfecting agriculture and providing a panacea for genetic disorders through bioengineering may initially seem beneficial for society, the alteration of unique organisms’ genomes raises ethical concerns that threatens the very social construct of society.
Currently, the most relevant concern that CRISPR raises in society refers to the widening disparities between people of different socioeconomic backgrounds. Expensive gene therapies may only be accessible to wealthy individuals, which is only the first stage of the inequalities that CRISPR technology brings. Humans designed to exhibit optimal traits for intelligence, appearance, and physique could subsequently create entirely new class systems, disrupting precarious social constructs across nations and exacerbating social inequalities that are stacked upon economic differences. Thus emerges a new world where the notion of eugenics threatens to rewrite the way society runs. What begins as revolutionary “improvements” for those who can afford procedures could quickly evolve into a global market that provides the basis for a culling society where inherent advantages prevail over earned advantages among individuals. Moreover, this “new” society that arises from CRISPR technology redefines who is in charge. In other words, CRISPR technology would not only leave behind vast vacuums in social constructs, but it also poses questions about who should spearhead, decide, and plan the complex elements of a biotechnological revolution that threatens to change society for better or for worse.
CRISPR bestows upon humanity an unprecedented grapple over life and vitality. To harness technology’s benefits as humans have done throughout history, firm regulations, rigorous oversight, and publicity will be what keeps CRISPR technology from tampering with the very construct of society. At the current moment, widespread publicity on CRISPR technology paints it in good light, but the possibility of this innovative revolution retreating into the shadows remains probable. Only then would a society grounded on community, identity, and stability possibly come into fruition.
Source(s):
https://innovativegenomics.org/crisprpedia/crispr-ethics/#Somatic–vs.-germline-cell-editing