2025: The Age of Unnatural Selection
Introduction:
The year 2025, also known as the era of perfection, is a time in history when people have stopped caring for values and began to emphasize materialistic perfection. Modern science has developed a new technique called “Gene Selection” which allows the parents to handpick the genes passed down to their newborn and even choose gender. This technique has allowed couples to become parents without the commitment of becoming parents, as they may choose to reverse the entire development process if they are not satisfied with the outcome of the gene selection. It has made it possible for same-sex parents to be parents of a newborn that both share their genome makeup, as using genes of each parent to make an embryo and growing the baby outside of a human body is now a reality. Along with this medical breakthrough, came DNA analysis that gives parents knowledge of what the newborn’s life will be like after it has been born.
It was a cold winter Tuesday night of 2025 as we headed to the hospital for our appointment to meet our son. With the advance medicine I knew that I would not expect much pain through the birth process and I probably should be back home by tomorrow afternoon — good thing, I have an important presentation next week and I want to make sure I finish everything I need to do before Friday.
As we arrived to the birthing center, we were greeted by the nurses and immediately taken to our “home” for the next 24 hours. The doctor shortly joined the nurse in the preparations for the procedure and I could not be more excited — I think this time we created the baby we want. Last time we were not successful at creating the perfect little girl, so why not try again? We figured that this time we would try a boy. I remember the first time the doctor and I discussed my options in giving birth. “Natural, cesarean, or swift?” he said. “It’s 2015, doctor! Let’s do swift!” I replied. It’s astonishing that ages ago people used to experience long birth processes.
“Let us begin,” said the Dr. Vanne, once the staff arrived. I nodded and moments later I felt very drowsy. It felt like a light sleep, as I could hear everything around me, but in reality I was unconscious. It was peaceful and this time every single of my dream advertisements were baby related and involving the new technique of gene selection.
Suddenly, I heard the cries of my baby and I knew it was my perfect baby boy. I knew this was not a commercial going through my mind as I could feel the connection with that cry. “Congratulations, is a boy!” I heard.
I finally opened my eyes and there was my husband, Jex, standing next to me. “That was quick,” he said, “It was less than an hour, I think.” On the other side of the room was standing the nurse over my baby boy examining him with intricate machines. Drawing blood into different vials and placing some of them in different computers. “Analyze data,” commanded the nurse to one of the computer as he placed the vials of blood on a transporter hovering next to him.
“We have concluded the life assessment, doctor,” began one of the computers. “Healthy baby boy. 10 lbs, 7 oz. and 26 inches long. DNA reads that he will live a long life and won’t die of natural causes until the age range of 46–48 years old. He will be prone to respiratory disorders. He will reach approximately 6’4” — 6’8” tall and weight 250–280 lbs during adulthood. He will be homosexual, but has immunity to retroviruses, so the HIV immunity treatment will not be necessary. Interests will include tennis, mathematics, finance, and big data analysis.”
It’s difficult to make decisions. With the issues of over population and strict restrictions on procreation, how do I know if we should keep this baby? We are only allowed one son or daughter! Last year we would have had a daughter who would have diabetes and prone to cancer, according to her DNA assessment; so we decided to reverse the life process. It was only our first time, anyway; I know people that have restarted at least seven times. How do we know that we want to bring another math guy into this world?
Suddenly, Dr. Vanne broke the silence, “What should we do this time? Is he perfect enough?”
