Essay about The Controversy on Eugenics in the American Culture

Words: 1793
Pages: 8

Heredity improvement by genetic control. Why would people want to control heredity? What exactly is genetic control? These are some things that people have been questioning for decades. Eugenics can not be ignored because it is suddenly coming up everywhere. People are experimenting and taking huge risks not to their knowledge. At one point in time it was said that eugenics could change the world for the better. That is how some people could look at it, and others frightened that it would change the entire universe. Early in the twentieth century science had to deal with the conditions that improve the inborn qualities of a race. Eugenesists not only wanted to improve the well-being of others, but enclose to fewer races and …show more content…
Myopia, is something that could be theoretically possible to consider. It is known to be a genetically influenced condition, that runs in families. Another problem eugenics can cause is the possibility that genes that encourage forms of mental illness are also genes that contribute to genius or originality. Attempts to discourage reproduction by those with manic-depressive illness or schizophrenia, might produce adverse effects on proficiency. There are also other unanticipated genetic problems. One other argument that is heard is that genetic diversity is needed for further evolution, and that eugenic programs might reduce this diversity, eliminating an acceptable allele. The analogy is sometimes made with certain products where the genetic diversity may have been greatly reduced, increasing the vulnerability to certain diseases.
One of the biggest political and most controversial problems with eugenics was the association with Nazi Germany and the claim that the extermination of the Jews was part of their eugenics program. It appeared that the Nazi Anti- Semitism as why they tried to get rid of the Jews. Granted the strength of that motive, the outcome would have been the same regardless of their views on eugenics. The other major political problem is that desirable genes are distributed unequally among the racial groups, the same way social and economic status and phenotypic traits would be used as surrogates for the possession