Should I get my DNA scanned, even though it might reveal that I'm fated to suffer some incurable disease like Parkinson's?
Here's the thing: You pay anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars for a genetic test, but what you're really buying is a sense of control. You want to know your dread future and prepare for it - or even prevent it. But with most big genetic scares, like a predisposition for colon cancer, heart problems, or diabetes, what will the doctors tell you? Eat better, stop smoking, get more exercise. You don't need the Delphic Oracle to figure that out. Yes, in very rare circumstances, radical measures can be taken, such as a double mastectomy to forestall the likelihood of breast cancer. But genetic results are probabilities, not certainties. Run a broad enough test and nearly everyone could have a red flag for something.
Maybe you just want the peace of mind that comes with knowing, if only partially, what cards you may be dealt. Fair enough. But if you get bad news, you'll still have to cope with untidy ethical and political issues. Should you tell your blood relatives? After all, it's their DNA, too. The next time you apply for health insurance, you'll have to decide whether to disclose your genetic mark of Cain and risk getting turned down. (You could lie, but then - whoops! - you also can't tell your doctor, who could inform your insurer.) And if you're getting married, how much do you tell your betrothed? "Genetic information influences reproéductive decisions," says Arthur Caplan, a bioéethicist at the-University of Pennsylvania. "What will your girlfriend think?" Then there's the privacy scare. It's unclear which of our toothless privacy laws apply to DNA records, if any.
So, no. Don't do it. Or at least use a lab your doctor recommends; don't search for one on Google. DNA tests are barely regulated, and plenty of online labs are fly-by-night "Canadian" Web pharmacies. And choose a lab that also offers genetic counseling, because you'll need someone to help decipher your results.
But as the Oracle would tell you, the future is always unclear.
I'm using Evite to organize a big party. Should my guest list be open, showing all the names for everyone to see, or private?
Depends on how important your peeps are, player. If you're rolling with Diddy or Lindsay Lohan, keep the list on the down low; their agents will appreciate your discretion. But for the rest of us mere mortals? Ninety-five percent of all Evite users publicize their lists. They're a social mechanism: The digital age is all about openness, and part of the fun for guests is watching the roster (and maybe a dream dance card) fill up. Information about your drunken bash wants to be free.
Need some help navigating life in the 21st century?
Email mrknowitall@wiredmag.com.
- Clive Thompson
DNA Scanning
credit Jan Feindt
START
The Best: Sci-Fi Concept Albums
Inflating China's Olympic Bubble
Scan My Guest List, Not My Genes
