granted you bring up a point that i have pondered as well, the ability of man to defy “survival of the fittest”, i hardly think modern medicine is responsible for any adverse effects on the human race… modern medicine’s benefits completely pale it’s drawbacks. and lets face it, allowing anyone to live longer, whether it be a day, a minute or a decade, is one of the most important accomplishments of the human race as a whole. no one can deny anyone their right to life through all available means…
besides, if a person survives a lethal disease through artificial (medical) means and decides to have kids, they are most likely well aware of the fact that their young child may be faced with their same struggles and hardships, and many choose to adopt, or simply not bear offspring.
now an interesting thought to ponder is how modern medicine has allowed the global population to increase exponentially, causing food shortages, etc. are we saving people, or making it that much harder for others to survive?

There will always be ‘bad’ genes no matter how hard you try to get rid of them. It’s a great point and one worth pondering, but bad genes will always be there and, more commonly than not, we tend to learn more from the weaker among us than the stronger.

We need to keep that in perspective. =)

Engineered genes are transmitted vertically. No harm only help.

No matter how you slice it, or in what manner you spin it, we are indeed thwarting natural selection.

I cannot fault those who are truly altruistic, as I myself would not be able to tell someone “Sorry, your genes aren’t good enough.” As a result of me, and those like me, not being truthful, the Earth is primed to exceed her carrying capacity.

People do not realize that infectious diseases are Nature’s way of controlling the population. As cold-hearted as it sounds, it is true.

I think that if you contemplate this idea further, you will conclude that we would all be better off living the lifestyle of the prehistoric North Americans. What more could you ask for? An iPod? Please. Give me Nature, give me that mode of living which sufficed for thousands of years before it was suddenly deemed insufficient.

Along the same lines, what does our society view as favorable? Or, what makes one person more fit than another, in today’s world? The answer is education. Those who acquire the most education are most fit, according to our standards. This has an interesting side effect. In order to achieve educational goals, a person usually puts off the act of reproducing and subsequently has fewer children than the non-educated individual. How is this evolutionarily favorable? How does it make sense that one person goes to school for 8 years, only to pay a higher rate of tax, which is used to support those who were not able (and therefore not fit, according to society) to have more children?

I believe the answer is simple. Our views of what makes a person successful, and therefore more fit, are at best misguided. My hypothesis is playing out quite nicely in America today, evidenced by the impending financial upheaval. What, exactly, were all of those people working for? A piece of paper?

I know I will be written off as a cook. But, to be great is to be misunderstood. To be one step ahead is genius, but three, and you are a madman. And finally, whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.