Bravery and valor:
The movie Gattaca centers around the competition of bravery and gallantry between brothers Vincent and Anton Freeman. Vincent, named after his freedom, enjoys the liberty to make choices and pursue his desires. In contrast, Anton’s fate has already been predetermined, leaving him without such freedom.
Vincent’s bravery and gallantry are prominently displayed when he emerges victorious over his genetically superior brother in a game called ‘Chicken’. This game involves swimming out into the ocean until one participant becomes too scared or exhausted to continue and turns back. After winning, Vincent showcases his gallantry by rescuing Anton from drowning.
This act serves as a testament to Vincent’s determination, courage, and mental strength. It sets in motion Vincent’s journey towards becoming a First Class Navigator in Gattaca. He realizes that as a ‘free-man’, he possesses the capability to achieve any goal he sets his mind on.
Technology and the Natural Order:
In the conflict between Technology and Nature, Technology holds the obvious advantage. Technology can be programmed to serve any purpose desired by its creator. However, Nature’s independence and freedom are gradually leveling the playing field. This is exemplified by Vincent’s accomplishments in overcoming his Valid brother Anton in the game of “Chicken,” achieving his goals at Gattaca, and even reaching for the stars, something that some Valids could never achieve. The Valids, representing Technology, may believe they are superior to In-Valids in every way and consider themselves to be perfect beings. However, Nature is continuously evolving and improving upon itself, something that Technology cannot appreciate, survive or exist without. Nature and Technology are like a balanced weight, similar to other contrasting dualities such as good and evil or day and night.
The topic of the individual and society will be discussed.
The film Gattaca portrays a society with a similar objective to the Nazis, aiming for human perfection in intelligence, beauty, and physical attributes. However, Vincent Freeman represents the individual who values freedom, personal goals, and achieving dreams. In this futuristic Gattaca world, there is a conflict between the desires of both individuals and society. Society seeks to control humanity’s outcomes and dominate Earth. Meanwhile, the Valids are unconcerned about the In-Valids as long as they are treated as inferior and restricted to menial jobs with limited interaction with the Valids.
Ethics and morality:
The moral values in Gattaca closely resemble our own moral values but are more repulsive. This is due to the fact that one’s worth is determined by their parents’ choice of how they should be conceived. The story revolves around Vincent, but also involves Irene. Upon discovering that Vincent is an In-Valid wearing Valid’s clothes, Irene decides to keep this information to herself. This is likely because they share similarities and she considers him a soulmate and someone she can confide in. She made this decision based on her own moral principles, believing it to be ethically correct and wanting to protect Vincent as much as possible. The morality depicted in the film is comparable to our own morality, as we too discriminate against individuals who appear or behave differently from ourselves. We are not much better than the people in Gattaca; the only distinction is that we judge people based on their external appearance while the Gattacans judge based on their internal qualities.
Discrimination and injustice are prevalent issues. These problems cause harm and perpetuate inequality in society.
In Gattaca, a new form of discrimination called “Genoism” has become the dominant form of favoritism, rendering all other forms obsolete. Despite its prevalence, Genoism is not openly acknowledged. In this “World of Tomorrow,” being a Valid is the only way to achieve success and fulfillment. Regardless of one’s race, creed, or gender, being a Valid opens doors to endless possibilities. Even the terms Valid and In-Valid can be seen as forms of Genoism. Being labeled as an In-Valid is tantamount to being deemed worthless and useless. Injustice exclusively affects the In-Valids, who experience mistreatment and an unjust existence. Physically, everyone appears, feels, and sounds indistinguishable from other humans. The only disparity lies within their DNA, which is what deems an In-Valid as inferior.
