I understand and do respect that reasoning, and know parents want to make sure their children don’t suffer from the diseases you listed. I agree that is a horrible thing for children and parents to go through, really. I can’t say what I would do if I was in their shoes, honestly, and have empathy there.
But, I have very little faith in corporates and the powers that be, and sadly, little faith in people thinking things through before jumping on bandwagons. I know that once people become comfortable with one thing, the next is introduced, then the next, and if there’s money to be made off it, and if it can be marketed with fear and social pressures, the corporates will capitalize on it.
That’s what I’m seeing—and in my line of work, I know of many organizations and companies that already are starting to go after conditions that are not traumatic, but contribute to the colorful diversity of what humans are. There is extensive research to identify the genes for everything- dwarfism, blindness, deafness, homosexuality, depression ADHD, bipoloar disorders… you name it. What will they do with that information later?
I know parents don’t want their children to suffer- I get that- but I have gotten the “perfect person’s” point of view for 35 years, usually in an appalled tone: “Of course, why wouldn’t they want to be normal and have all their faculties?” Those people completely fail to understand that what they see as “defects” often contribute richly to someone’s life and makes life a lot more interesting and more varied. I worry about losing that breadth of the human experience in the long run.
And… how many of our richest world contributors had mental illnesses, depression, addictions, dyslexia, blindness… Many of them said themselves that their contributions were deepened and enriched by their “defects.” There IS research going on right now to eradicate all that through genetic modification.
Now, if the government gets into it, I’ll call you up :)