On knowing the future...

I just finished watching Neil Cavuto's excellent program, in which he reported that a doctor supposedly can map out your genome, the whole of your genetic makeup. (I missed the actual interview, but saw his next-day analysis.) Since the human genome was mapped out none too long ago, I was anticipating this news of being able to "read" individual's codes. I doubt, though, that it is anywhere close to the accuracy that they claim. The main thing they claim to be able to tell you is when you will die, possibly to within hours of the event. But this also raises some really creepy issues.

First among them, do I really want to know the future?

On the one hand, I'd like to know. Who wouldn't? Knowing which decisions would be the best in advance would make all of our lives so much better. Things we can now only see in hindsight would be seen well in advance. I could have avoided my lackluster academic career, totaling my first car, and my heart attack, just to name a few things I'd like to remedy now. And I'd know what stocks were profitable and what to avoid like the plague. I would have also known to buy up as much of the Statler Brothers' music as I could, but that's strictly a personal thing for me.

But knowing all of this would take all the "fun" out of life. If you already know the end, why tell the story or play the game? Doesn't this ruin the whole concept of initiative on an individual level? While things are unknown, the future has yet to be written on these scenarios. On the upside, this would lead us to the path where we were most successful. No wasted effort sounds great. But it would also leave out something just as important, how to lose or accept bad consequences with dignity and grace. And could we really be proud of an assured victory?

Back to the genome, what if I could measure exactly how much time I had left to do some things that I have always wanted to do? For what little of me is obsessive-compulsive, this would be great. The downside is when other people get a hold of this information, which in this information age, is bound to happen. Insurance would be denied and certain employment would be unavailable to some, and all because of what these genetic markers tell the medical folks might happen to an individual. As a conservative, I think the government at every level needs to be limited and this field is just waiting for legislative action. Of course, this would be "for our own good" or "for the children," as they undoubtedly are going to tell us. Goodbye to equal protection under the law...

I guess the best remedy for all of this is that we should always remember that today's actions will most likely influence where we end up tomorrow. Treat yourself and others well. Remember to stand up for what you believe and do what you know is morally right. And never forget that you and those you love won't always be here, so solve disagreements and love them for who they are and in spite of it, not what you want them to be. Let the future happen on its own and let us do our best to make it better.