Sociology: Gattaca Movie Paper
Ruben Arrieta
Professor McGinnis
Sociology 101
11 November 2010
Gattaca
Gattaca is a movie that contains a very interesting society. As in all societies, discrimination exists and it is primarily between two groups. The valids, as they are called here, are the dominant group who oppress the group known as the invalids, which is the group consisting of the less privileged individuals. However, in this society, privileged and less privileged does not refer to the individuals in terms of wealth or power, but instead, in terms of genetics. Here, discrimination has been reduced down to genes, and this determines your place in society. Here, when parents are planning on having a baby, they are faced with having to decide whether they want a genetically engineered baby or whether they want to let nature run its course. However, this decision involves much more than a simple yes or no, as this decision will decide their child’s social location and will assign them a master status. Deciding to genetically engineer their baby, parents are assuring their baby the master label of valid, but parents who decide to let nature run its course, are taking the huge risk of having a no-perfect child who will be labeled with the master status of ‘invalid,’ one which can’t be changed. These two labels of invalid and valid are very powerful, as they define what your life and future are going to be like and also control how the rest of your life is going to be like. These two labels are ascribed statuses, as they are completely involuntary, as the ones that chose whether the child is genetically perfect or not are the parents. These statuses provide the exact guidelines as to how that person is to act, feel, behave and think. Symbolic Interactionism suggests that in this society, the individuals are expected to behave and perform strictly accordingly to their label, which also grants them and denies them certain things. Without these labels, this society would not be able to
Professor McGinnis
Sociology 101
11 November 2010
Gattaca
Gattaca is a movie that contains a very interesting society. As in all societies, discrimination exists and it is primarily between two groups. The valids, as they are called here, are the dominant group who oppress the group known as the invalids, which is the group consisting of the less privileged individuals. However, in this society, privileged and less privileged does not refer to the individuals in terms of wealth or power, but instead, in terms of genetics. Here, discrimination has been reduced down to genes, and this determines your place in society. Here, when parents are planning on having a baby, they are faced with having to decide whether they want a genetically engineered baby or whether they want to let nature run its course. However, this decision involves much more than a simple yes or no, as this decision will decide their child’s social location and will assign them a master status. Deciding to genetically engineer their baby, parents are assuring their baby the master label of valid, but parents who decide to let nature run its course, are taking the huge risk of having a no-perfect child who will be labeled with the master status of ‘invalid,’ one which can’t be changed. These two labels of invalid and valid are very powerful, as they define what your life and future are going to be like and also control how the rest of your life is going to be like. These two labels are ascribed statuses, as they are completely involuntary, as the ones that chose whether the child is genetically perfect or not are the parents. These statuses provide the exact guidelines as to how that person is to act, feel, behave and think. Symbolic Interactionism suggests that in this society, the individuals are expected to behave and perform strictly accordingly to their label, which also grants them and denies them certain things. Without these labels, this society would not be able to
Cited: Niccol, Andrew. Gattaca. Columbia Pictures, 1997. Henslin, James M. “Essentials of Sociology: A-Down-To-Earth-Approach.” Eight Edition. New York: Pearson, 2009.