Ivelin Yuriev
Samantha B. Messinger
ENC 1101
4 June 2011
End of Race-Is it Possible?
Steve Olsen and Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, had an interesting discussion about the human race, where they both expressed a valid concern about its genetic future. However, they used two different approaches to prove their theories. The Dalai Lama, in 2005, wrote the book, The Universe in a Single Atom. In his chapter “Ethics and the New Genetics” Gyatso focuses on the benefits of genetic engineering and its enormous potential, while warning us of its harmful consequences. In contrast, but yet pursuing the same point, Steve Olson in his book “Mapping Human History” (2002) and the chapter “The End of Race: Hawaii and the Mixing of Peoples” traces the differences and similarities between people of various races and ethnicity. He uses the frequencies of genetic mutations in the mitochondria, migration from one continent to another and racially mixed populations where the target is the mostly American state of Hawaii. Should the world be concerned about the end of singular genetic ethnicity of each race? And is it going to happen? Race most likely will disappear as we now know. It seems to have been defined as two general groups-white and black, distinct from one another by only color of complexion. The white race will not be truly white, the black race will not be truly black, and the brown, yellow and red races will not be truly genetically ethnic either.
What does race actually mean? According to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, the definition of race is “one of the main groups that humans can be divided into according to the color of their skin and other physical features”. This is equal to ethnic grouping. And this very same definition it is noticeable that already not the main groups are disappearing. For instance, the Dalai Lama writes about how the genetic evolution can reach as far as we can “design” our babies before they are born. There are a wide variety of choices, but the most important are the selection of the color of hair, eyes, and complexion. But complexion can only be thru mixed marriages, which creates people with these specially designed features. What will happen if there is a way to create people with these special features? “Particularly worrying is the manipulation of genes for the creation of children with enhanced characteristics, whether cognitive or physical.” (Gyatso 80) This technology, when it first becomes available will only be affordable for the wealthy people. When the genetic modification is unaffordable for long enough, the majority of the wealthy families will have better children, smarter and prettier, then the rest of the people. Soon there will be a problem, the rich will not only be the rich but also will be the best in any other field. Which race will they belong to? To no single race. There are rich people all over the world from different race, thus separation by race will be no more. Because there is a good chance most of the other races may disappear from the consequences stated above. According to the DNA tests stated in Steve Olson’s chapter “The End of Race: Hawaii and the Mixing of Peoples”, we are experiencing the same genes. “When genetics look at our DNA they do not see a world of rigidly divided groups each going its own way. They see something much more fluid and ambiguous…..”(259). The people are so “mixed” (253) even though they still try to divide themselves by race. There will be division in the near future, certainly, but not by race, it will be by wealth condition, if the genetic evolution will remain affordable only by them.
Race division is such an obvious, natural part of human life. Nevertheless, where does the theory come from? Throughout the world there used to be racial division between all genetic colorings; for instance, black, white, brown, yellow or red. Black used to be the slaves and whites were the masters. Which is absolute nonsense just because of the skin complexion, no one is special just because of that. We are over that worldwide problem for many decades now. There used to be German leader (Adolph Hitler) in World War II with the sick idea to create only one race and literally murder the rest of the world. The world was against it and we are over it as well. Now there are many Asians who live in Europe, many Americans who live in Asia, and many Africans who live all over the world. We are so mixed figuratively and literally as a society that our DNA mixture purports “When we look at another person we won’t think Asian, Black, or white. We’ll just think: person.” (259). Because we all look much more similar now. For instance, if we take marriage between African American and Hispanic, what will the child look like? Mixed skin complexion; not as dark, not as bright; different hair, or he or she could also have different eye color compared to either of the parents’ physical features. The race differences as genetically physical features disappear slowly but steadily and there is nothing wrong with that. “In my native Tibet, the value of a person rests not on physical appearance, not on intellectual or athletic achievement, but on the basic, innate capacity for compassion in all human beings.” (81) Most religions teach equality as well as Buddhism. The Dalai Lama, as spiritual leader expresses that belief. Many even non-religious will agree on this which can be applied the world over. As a result, if we are mixed physically, as a society, and as a religion, how can we have race? It is just not possible, and this is just the beginning.
There will be many centuries after our existence, yet race will disappear as a physical division. Our mitochondrial DNA contains a mixture of diverse ancestral beginnings and our understanding about human beings will be changed as well. This is foreseeable and Steve Olson and the Dalai Lama have their points on that. “We are members of a single human family, the product of genetic necessity and chance, borne ceaselessly into an unknown future.” (262), the race division has become useless and it is no longer needed. The problem is that race as physical division vanishes but there are still some other types of discrimination that will always be there. If it is not called race it will be called wealth or some other determination. In addition of Olson’s concern, the Dalai Lama expresses in the chapter “Ethics and the New Genetics,” that the world has a huge need for humanity.
“Finally, we must all-scientists and society at large-strive to ensure that whatever new course of action we take, we keep in mind the primary goal of the well-being of humanity as a whole and the planet we inhabit. The earth is our only home. As far as current scientific knowledge is concerned, this may be the only planet that can support life.” (84)
Tying this in with Olson, this is the only human family we have. And both of them call for an ethics to match our rapidly evolving technologies in areas such as genetic engineering. All of these potential inventions are of great use in need of our careful and extremely discernable discussions. If we solely concern ourselves with physical and intellectual attributes, then compassion and love will have no place in humanity and our lives anymore. For instance, people of little wealth but much love and physical attraction for one another, will not care how their offspring will look, as long as he/she is healthy. So maybe future technology should only concern itself medically and not physically. That way genetics would not concern itself so much with the ethical DNA question that may totally erase our original point of the dissemination of race in its entirety. Nevertheless, if the humanity and compassion disappear then the inventions will turn against us- the creators.