“When
we can genetically engineer perfect children, should we? When wealthy adults
can radically enhance their own mental abilities and life spans well beyond
those less fortunate, should we let them? When robots, and a dwindling fraction
of technologically gifted workers, are producing the majority of all the value
and wealth in society, what will become of those who appear unnecessary? Will
they be treated with respect, or as helpless dependents? If the latter, will
the productive minority decide, as some have begun to speculate, that the others
no longer deserve an equal say in the society’s decisions?”
Some of these
questions are already being answered today, and the answer is frightening. Last year, a US Fertility Clinic supposedly
engineered a baby boy using the DNA of three different people. A British court
refused to let the parents of a brain-damaged boy take him out of the country
for further treatment, and instead cut off life support allowing the child to
die.
This is what happens when human beings decide to play God.
Daniels went on to
caution graduates to resist the unintentionally tendency to segregate from
their less blessed, less well educated fellow citizens. He notes that our nation has seemingly
divided into tribes, made up of people with very different views of true and
false, right and wrong. They seem deeply
alienated from each other and deeply distrustful, and this distrust has eroded
confidence in our public institutions.
Again, quoting from his speech:
“There are plenty of culprits here, starting with too many
who have misused positions of authority. The so-called social media – I have
come to think of it as “antisocial media” – enables and encourages hostility
from the insulated enclave of a smartphone or a laptop. People say things
to and about each other that they would never say face to face, or maybe even
think, if they knew each other personally.”
Here, he hits on one
of the major causes of the polarization plaguing our nation today. I am appalled at some of the statements
internet trolls post online. Such
disrespect would never take place in a face-to-face conversation. If the political viciousness weren’t enough,
cyber bullying may be one of the major factors contributing to the violent acts
we see taking place in our streets and schools. This tribal mentality is
particularly dangerous when the tribe gangs up on a weaker individual. The helpless victim may see no relief other
than self-destruction or violent retribution.
Daniel’s term “anti-social media” describes it well.
I find it refreshing
that the president of a secular institution of higher learning would speak on
moral and ethical responsibility in a commencement address. The graduates, and indeed all of us, would do
well to ponder his concerns. Despite our
diverse views, we should always treat everyone with respect.
