SPECIAL EDITION: The genetic optimization of life — and the lives it may leave behind.

Jun 20, 2025

Dive into the fascinating world of genetic optimization and its ethical implications. Discover the advancements in genetic testing and the moral dilemmas they create for society. A gripping capstone piece by a talented former intern sheds light on the controversial topic of embryonic genetic testing. The discussion encourages listeners to ponder the balance between scientific progress and its impact on marginalized groups. Prepare for a thoughtful exploration that promises to provoke debate and reflection!

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ANECDOTE

Hunter Kasperson's Capstone Story

Hunter Kasperson, a Tangle fellow, wrote a deeply researched capstone about genetic optimization.
Her piece explores embryonic genetic testing's fast development and its ethical dilemmas.

ADVICE

Engage Deeply with Controversy

Read thoughtfully researched pieces to understand complex controversial issues fully.
Engage with topics personally to gain fair and deep treatment of difficult subjects.

INSIGHT

Ethics of Genetic Optimization

Genetic optimization through embryonic testing raises complex moral and ethical questions.
The rapid development of this technology challenges societal perspectives on life and its optimization.

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For the last few years, one of my favorite parts of Tangle has been hiring young writers and giving them an opportunity to work with us. Over the years we’ve had a number of “interns” (nobody really does intern work here) who have made major contributions to our newsletter, gone on to work for awesome publications, or left and returned years later to work for us.

Last year, our managing editor Ari Weitzman decided to formalize this experience with a six-month fellowship program. We got dozens of applications, and ended up hiring Hunter Casperson — a sharp writer and recent journalism master’s graduate from California. Hunter immediately earned a reputation for thoughtful edits, speaking her mind, and stepping up to do whatever was asked of her.

This month, her six months at Tangle are coming to a close. In the past, it’s been simply tradition that we’ve let Tangle interns write a capstone piece — this year, with the process formalized, we baked it into the initial schedule of working with Hunter. The prompt is simple: You can pick any topic you want to cover, and we’ll work on a well researched, long-form piece with you that we’ll publish as a Friday edition. Today, we are sharing Hunter’s capstone piece.

It is, in my estimation, perfectly Tangle. It covers a controversial topic. It’s personal. It is deeply researched. It is thoughtfully written. And most importantly, it offers fair treatment of a complicated issue. I hope you enjoy it, and I want to thank Hunter for all her contributions to Tangle — I’m excited to see what she does next!

Best,

Isaac Saul

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Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.

This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul & Hunter Casperson and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Hunter Casperson, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead.

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