"A. Are you saying just because a technology can be used for harm it should be abandoned or suppressed?"
Actually, no I didn't say anything remotely resembling that. I think I pointed out if you are going to tote up the upside you should probably at least keep it in your mind there is a down side to most technologies. Their cost can be extremely steep, especially when you whistle past the grave yard and ignore them.
Fossil fuels for example have been a boon to the energy input equation driving civilization, as long as they don't start a run away greenhouse effect and wipe out life as we know it.
You seem to be a poster child for "the road to hell is paved with good intentions".
Well, if the point you are trying to make is so superficial, thanks for pointing out the obvious. Every technology is a double edged sword. It doesn't take a genious to realize any tool can be used for good or ill. The story itself simply points out that measurable economic gains have been realized in developing genomic technology. But it would be moronic to take that to mean we are headed for a modern day gold rush where every Tom, Dick, and Harry with a pan can go out and make a mess of things by doing rogue biotech. Throughout human history, Plenty of technological advances have shaped and shifted society in countless ways. You can't deal with it by cowering in fear at the unknown. As a whole, we've adapted and matured. Sure, we will probably make a few mistakes along the way, but we generally learn from those we make and avoid a lot more that the smarter ones among us have already foreseen.
"Just because the technology makes it more feasible doesn't mean we are reckless enough to flirt with it again"
Keep telling yourself that, and hope you have good genes.
My genes happen to be excellent, thank you very much. I've benefited enormously from choosing my ancestors wisely. However, I place far greater value in the wisdom of civilization and culture. I don't agree with everything he's published, but I think you can gain a bit of perspective by reading a bit of Steven Pinker. I am inclined to believe eugenics of the kind you are afraid of (ie. wholesale crimes against humanity) are obsolete human endeavors that will go the way of such things as institutionalized slavery, human sacrifices, and other social institutions that we as a society have outgrown. I suppose an argument can be made for some types of control over reproduction that can constitute some form of eugenics. For example, it is now possible for couples to receive genetic counseling and manage the risk(s) of possible congenital defects in their children. Ethical or not? That *is* a intelligent discussion worth having.
"this stuff is not so easy to do accidentally"
Yea, its so tough there are DIY home geneticists "using the Synthetic Biology Parts Registry to engineer yogurt bacteria to produce prozac"
As someone who has actually participated in iGEM, I'm afraid you have a grossly skewed understanding of how synthetic biology is done. The link you've provided demonstrates in principle how to do genetic engineering. Its akin to how anyone with enough undergraduate physics can in principle construct a fission bomb. Again, that only happens in the movie reality of Hollywood. But seriously, all participating iGEM teams doing this kind of synthetic biology are heavily supported by sponsorship from industry players and academic entities with money, lab facility, and other vital resources such as the wealth of experience provided by project mentors (usually university professors or Ph.Ds in the field). These are not home geneticists, the presenter just makes it look that way by glossing over the critical work that requires a highly controlled environment and lab techniques often hard earned via work as a lab tech or research associate. If you've bothered RTFA, it even says that despite the video clip "......the task of designing and optimizing a functional, useful, and safe gene system is a lot more complicated....". As an optimist, I can only hope that the kind of things I did in iGEM can be as simple and routine as it appears to you. But I assure you, we are far from the day when your average rednecks and skin heads have the means to brew up apocalyptic world-ending dairy products. Just out of curiosity, who of consequence have you come across that shares your worries? Strategic thinkers in our military have assessed issues as broad and comprehensive as global climate change as global security threats. Do you know of any generals loosing sleep over designer fatal yogurt germs? But I've said enough. What do *you* think should be done to address the problem(s) that concerns you? What is your contribution?