Eliezer writes:
> For the record, the impression I got from GATTACA was that genetic
> engineering worked for physical strength to the extent that an average
> genemod human would be in, say, the top 1% relative to today's
> distribution of physiques, but that intelligence engineering would be only
> the top 10% if it worked at all. Thus a not-very-exceptional exceptional
> human could easily outcompete an average genemod for brains, but it would
> be a surprising coincidence if this natural-born prodigy also had a
> competitive physique.
Right, I think the key to understanding the movie is that the "valids"
are not actually intellectually superior. It is purely a social
prejudice which allows them to be treated as such, and as with other
forms of prejudice it tends to be self-perpetuating. The invalids have
worse schooling, fewer opportunities, they tend to be poor and working
in unpleasant jobs, which makes them look less intellectual.
Vincent is like a fair-skinned black man who passes for white, as some
minorities did during the time of open prejudice. Such individuals could
excel, free from the judgements that would be applied against the group
that they were part of, but they lived constantly in fear that their
true identity would be exposed.
Hal
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Mon May 28 2001 - 09:50:43 MDT