Reflection on "Smart Gene"

The "smart gene" is a genetic luxury. It will reiterate the disparity between classes, and, when perfected, will leave families unable to afford  the "extra intelligence" in the dust. It is immoral, but if I could afford it, I would purchase it, and implant it into the developing embryo, my pride and joy. All of the points raised in discussion are valid, including the degradation of work ethic, money, and parenting. Points were also raised that countered these notions, stating that teenagers by nature as lazy procrastinators, why wouldn't slightly more intelligent teens that perhaps didn't have to work as hard be more lazy?  

Your "smart gene" child is going to be every bit as useless for some part of his/her life than every other child. They each have the possibility to become greedy, envious, or evil. Their intelligence would be used for their own agenda's, which would be dictated by their environment. Looking at a child's life as an overall experience, the smart gene begins to mean less and less. As Anna pointed out, the brightest child could always be the most abused. Potential would come to be, or differentiate into skills, if it is nurtured. Unfortunately, we can't let our children differentiate through life with electrical pulses, only their own life experience.

Just as being a skinny doesn't guarantee popularity, or any social life, I would pay for a gene that would ensure they were not pre-disposed to obesity, for their physical and mental health.