Control in the Face of Disease

Butler's piece on the way that genetics (specifically disease) plays such a huge role in how we live and perceive of our lives reminded me of the debate over doctor-assisted suicide.  While the topic is far too emotionally charged and complex to do justice to in a brief blog post, the topic is relevant to the article.  The idea of suicide as a final way of control was brought up several times- instead of being forced to live in an institution (many of which would physically restrain people).  Therefore, instead of being shipped off, those with the DGD gene would commit suicide (or at least consider it).  Today, there is an ongoing debate about the legality and ethics of physician assisted suicide.  Some proponents of it say that if they have a terminal illness that will affect them slowly and they will eventually be entirely dependent on others for every aspect of their care, they would rather be able to have some type of control over their future and not live a life thats quality is severely diminished.  While DGD is not real, the emotions that those with the disease felt prior to 'drifting' are not quite as science fiction as we'd like to think.