Enterprising kinship - consumer choise and the new reproductive technologies

Abstract

At one time, one's kin relations and genetic makeup could not be changed; they belonged to the domain of «nature», which was considered immutable. Today, thanks to new reproductive technologies, kinship is no longer something that cannot be changed and new prospects are opening up in reproductive options. Families are free to choose what form they will take, which also has an influence on how people see their obligations and responsibilities. The idea of having a child by choice is part of the concept of the enterprise culture. The child is the embodiment of the act of choice. In the «enterprise culture», choice should always be aimed at self-enhancement. This self-enhancement becomes prescriptive. Prescriptive fertility thus goes along with prescriptive consumerism. Now prescriptive consumerism stipulates that the only option is to make a choice. Its other side is prescriptive commercialization. A culture that considers it has initiative tends more and more to reproduce the technologies that allow it to commercialize its reproduction. The problem is knowing how the donation of gametes can be thought of as a gift.