Happy to announce that I'm writing a book for @PrincetonUPress: "The Genetic Lottery," a book on the genetics of social inequality that will argue that genetic research can help create a more just and equal society. — Dr. Paige Social Distancing Harden (@kph3k) July 19, 2018

I hear a lot of talk about “the genetic lottery.” But is randomness the sole cause of why your children wind up with the genes that they do?

How randomly did Professor Harden, for example, marry?

From the New York Times wedding announcements:

WEDDINGS/CELEBRATIONS

Kathryn Harden, Elliot Tucker-Drob

JUNE 18, 2010 Kathryn Paige Harden and Elliot Max Tucker-Drob were married Saturday by Rabbi Jake Rubin at the Colonnade Club, the faculty club at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The bride and bridegroom, who are assistant professors of psychology at the University of Texas in Austin, met at Virginia, from which each received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. …

Really rolling the dice …

Seriously, I think people in general have a hard time keeping in mind that when it comes to genetics, the glass is often about half full and half empty.

I apologize to my long-time readers. I’ve been harping on this metaphor for about 20 years now. But it’s not clear I’ve made much progress in getting more than a few people to see this.