Dysprosium317 comments

70x4060d,

Does it bother you because you hate people who can afford the procedure?

If you read what I posted, you would see that it bothers me because of a personal opinion that Genetic engineering is a powerful tool which our society has not considered all the consequences of using. It has absolutely nothing to do with who can or can't afford it. Furthermore, I wouldn't hate someone just because they could afford something I couldn't. That is silly.

My opinions stem from a career dedicated to medicine in which I have frequently seen both sides of this debate both from a scientific and a non-scientific standpoint.

This bothers me on more than one level... I know that it is tempting to use this kind of technology to eliminate genetic diseases, malformations, and the like, but even that makes me nervous. I don't think that as a society we are ready for certain things. Genetic engineering is a powerful tool... can we say that we have considered all of the consequences of its use?

DoctorLady, your response is interesting to me because I am in the middle of watching "Welcome to the NHK", which is about a fellow who is a hikikomori and though the story is not based on a real person that I know of, the character reminds me of some of the people I have studied during my psychology clerkship in medical school. To me the show seemed to address the issues of social anxiety and even touch on schizophrenia... though those not versed in these areas may just find the series entertaining.

Having been born and raised in the USA I admittedly do not know much about Japanese culture, but I have always wondered what the US equivalent to the "hikikomori" would be...

I am half-Chinese by appearance, but since I was born in the USA I am more like 1/8 Indonesian by culture (thanks to Mom). I can certainly identify with some of the things the author is saying, but my experience as I got older was different. I wrote about it during college and my professor liked it enough to post it to the college newspaper (1998/1999).

For anyone who is interested: http://www.goshen.edu/recordarchive/1998-99/5-6/stories/lena.html

Since the article, I have visited Japan (in fact, the only Asian country I have visited) and though I was quite the outsider to the culture, not knowing any Japanese language besides "excuse me", it helped me understand a lot more about my heritage. I saw little girls with the same haircut I had as a kid! I saw people with noses like mine! How exciting! I still felt unique, but in a way I also felt at home.

Now that I am older, most people seem interested and admire the fact that I am half. I wouldn't want it any other way.