The Open Future Concept In Gattaca

Gattaca: A Society Where the Open Future Does Not Exist

The open future concept is a notion that has been argued by many ethical philosophers, ethicist and professors throughout the last thirty years. There have been endless research and works written and produced reflecting the different arguments for or against the complex topic. A child’s right to an open future was first presented in the 1980’s by legal and political philosopher Joel Feinberg, which later allowed Dena Davis, a well-recognized bioethicist, to further analyze his concept. The open future concept was finally introduced in being a set of specific rights all children acquire, but cannot exercise until they reach a certain age, that take an important role in their
In Andrew Niccol’s critically acclaimed Sci-Fi film Gattaca, he proceeded to reference the open future concept and how it affected the lives of people who were deprived of it by the choices their parents made. Not only does Niccol’s brilliantly produce well developed characters that emphasize the dangers of the absence of an open future, he also provides the audience with two extremely opposite characters, similarly struggling with the pressures provided by society. In Gattaca, two characters struggling with the pressures of society are introduced. One of these character is Jerome (Jude Law), a planned and genetically superior man who had a successful life already prearranged for him. Even though the film does not go into Jerome’s background in depth, it does explain
Vincent, unlike Jerome, was conceived in a natural unplanned birth. Even though his parents were warned of the risks Vincent may inhibit as he would become an adult, they still proceeded with the pregnancy and Vincent was indeed born with disabilities, specifically a heart defect. The choice that his parents made affected Vincent all throughout his child to adult life in many unfortunate ways. He was denied of many opportunities including his dream of traveling to outer space. Just like Jerome, Vincent was pressured to live up to the social norms of his situation to be nothing but a janitor, even though he always knew he was worth more than that. Vincent finally chose to challenge society’s standards for him and proceeded to successfully live up to his dream with the help of a couple of people, even out beating his own heart which was expected to give out a few hundred beats past its due date. By allowing Vincent to live with that birth defect in a society that is very health orientated, his parents allowed for him to also be deprived of his future. If Vincent were never to be born, he would have never suffered the rejection he received even from his own family. Vincent eventually suffered due to the choices and decisions made by his