Posts with Comments by Ade

Design brainy babies an easier way?

  • This might sound silly or trivial, but I'm excited at the idea that non-Caucasoid people will start genetically engineering children to have features like light eyes, hair and skin, for the simple reason that I think the novel combinations would be striking. 
     
    Don't get too excited as this will probably not happen. I think people will generally go for features that are naturally occuring, though uncommon, within their populations, 
     
    For example, in Africa, people generally think light eyes are creepy and light hair is a sign of sickness, so i'm willing to bet that no one would pay money to have those traits. I can see africans choosing lighter skin for women, but only at levels which currently occur. Due to natural variation, some africans come out dark yellow, rather than dark brown, and this is valued in women. However, anything lighter will be associated with albinism and hence considered very unattractive. Indians also prefer dark hair (had a friend who was born with browish hair and her mom was so ashamed that she'd dye her hair black until she grew out of it) 
     
    If you'd like to know what traits people would pay for, just look at what they currently pay for now. 
     
    According to my junk mail, men are most concerned about penis size, baldness, and height. 
    Women spend the most amount of money on wrinkle creams, breast, lip augmentation, and weight loss. 
     
    These, not blond hair and blue eyes, will be most important.
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