NYT 'Op Eds From the Future' Launch With Sci-Fi Writer Ted Chiang

Slashdot reader Lasrick tipped us off to the first installment in a new series at the New York Times called 'Op-Eds From the Future.'

Science fiction authors, futurists, philosophers and scientists write op-eds that they imagine we might read 10, 20 or even 100 years in the future. The challenges they predict are imaginary -- for now -- but their arguments illuminate the urgent questions of today.

The first one is by science fiction writer Ted Chiang (best known for the short story which became the Hugo-winning movie Arrival). Apparently riffing on the college admissions scandal, Chiang writes that 'It's 2059, and the Rich Kids Are Still Winning. DNA tweaks won't fix our problems...' His op-ed complains that a 'philanthropic effort to bring genetic cognitive enhancements to low-income communities' has failed to get most of them into elite colleges or into jobs with good salaries and prospects for advancement.

'With the results in hand, it is time for us to re-examine the efficacy and desirability of genetic engineering....'

Read more of this story at Slashdot.