Gattaca. If you've never heard of the name, it's a futuristic story about the strength of the human spirit in a society which discriminates against genetic imperfections.
It's also one of my top 6 favourite movies of all times. (Top 6 movies have recently become a topic of discussion for some strange reason)
In one of the scenes, the protagonist played by Ethan Hawke goes for a job interview where the only qualifying test is your blood.
The plot is driven dramatically by murder, conspiracy and suspense but what's always captured my imagination is how well the vision of a future society was encapsulated by genetic foretelling.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I think it's unhealthy as humans to be obsessed with keeping things 'the same' and under control, seeking to weed out the imperfections that make us part of the system that is nature.
So imagine my surprise (or lack of) to read about how people are resisting DNA tests for fear of their health insurance premiums being increased or being retrenched as a health risk.
The full story here.
Also following on from an earlier post, where I talked about the New Year being celebrated for "Hope". I'm still undecided whether Barack Obama made the right choice strategically choosing "Hope" as the basis for his campaign.
See the book that outlines his platform.
Having heard both of them speak, albeit in limited snippets and only through media channels, I think that despite the rhetoric,
Obama has a fresher appeal, and in the hollywood shaped society that the 'free world' has become, Obama and Hope seem a much better argument than Hilary and Experience.
(Just on that, I don't think one can really say that they've got experience being the President can they ? The only person who has experience is Bill, and that would imply that voting for Hilary is like voting Team Clinton.)
Anyway, Obama's idealogy may be what America needs to reinvigorate its spirit but I think that from the standpoint of economic growth and lifecycles, America is increasing less relevant, as economic power and wealth diffuses to the rest of the world.
They say wealth runs three generations - A country can only be a consumer until their productive inheritance runs out.
