The Perfect Specimen

Another movie set in the future, Gattaca tells the story of a man predetermined to die young who changes his fate by cheating the system. Vincent was born with a genetic defect that determined he would not live long enough, and therefore has been shorted on job opportunities and never has the chance to pursue his dreams of space travel. He instead used the DNA of a man named Jerome, who is essentially the perfect candidate for space travel. Through hard work and intensive trials, Vincent is able to beat the system and make his way into space.

This movie serves as an inspiration to those who have ever been told they aren’t good enough or can’t overcome their challenges. When we look at students with disabilities and how hard they work to overcome their disability and rise above what society believed was ever possible, that is when we can see how wrong a dystopian future such as that of which is presented in Gattaca would be. We should never judge someone’s success based on how they were born or where they come from. We should never hold someone back from pursuing their dreams, and I believe as a society we are getting even better at making it possible for anyone to achieve what they want to achieve in life.

3 thoughts on “The Perfect Specimen

  1. I think it’s fair to say that, from a social and maybe political standpoint, we are getting better at making it possible for anyone to achieve their dreams. At the same time, however, advancements in science and technology are pushing us closer towards the systems you describe from GATTACA. I think it’s likely that, given how expensive it is, gene selection will (at least at first) allow richer people to control the intelligence, talents and overall success of their children. This could contribute to making it even less possible for the economically unprivileged to achieve what they want to.

  2. This sounds like an interesting film. Although I did not get to see it, Gattaca sounds like it touches on the famous nature vs. nurture debate. Some believe that one’s genetics has a greater impact on future success than one’s environment. It sounds like the society in Gattaca thought that people with the best genes deserved the most nurturing environment. Vincent seems to prove that all one needs is opportunity, regardless of your genetic blueprint. When opportunity meets motivation amazing things can occur.

  3. So true. The true measure of a person is their aspirations and dreams. It’s a shame that so many don’t get the chance to break free of the societal cycle like Vincent did, but even he couldn’t break the proverbial wheel. I interpreted the film’s ending as Vincent getting ahead by absorbing the identity of one of the society’s elites. Did his perseverance make him a worthy substitute for someone unhappy with his failure to reach the peak? I believe so.