I have tried convincing a lot of my friends to take a 23andMe test. I explained all the advantages of knowing one's medical predispositions, or how interesting it is to trace one's ancestry, compare genes, and so on. Most of them think it is too expensive, but they don't mind buying a new smart phone (usually over 400 euro, so close to 600 US$), buying expensive brand clothes, a huge flat screen or go on holidays costing many thousands euro/dollars.
Perhaps they just don't care about their health and ancestry. Some admitted being afraid of knowing the results. But I think that in many cases they just don't realise how much money they are spending on other stuff. A medical DNA test is something that's useful for all your life. I know people who will do a routine annual blood test for 70 euro but still think that a one-time complete DNA test for 250 euro is too expensive. I can't understand the logic in that.
What is really beyond imagination is why so many amateur genetic genealogists would purchase a simple Y-DNA or mtDNA test if they have the means to go for a 23andMe test (that is, if they have the means to buy an iPhone, or a TV, or a new car...). I would gladly skip or shorten a summer holiday/vacation, or stay at a cheaper hotel, in order to buy such a fantastic test. I can understand that not everybody is interested in genetics; but what if you are and already consider buying a test ? Why go for just Y-DNA when you can get the whole package ? Why is there still companies like FTDNA, Genebase, DNA Ancestry or DNA Heritage selling Y-DNA or mtDNA tests when it's so obvious that testing all 23 pairs of chromosomes is much more useful and interesting and doesn't cost that much ?
Perhaps they just don't care about their health and ancestry. Some admitted being afraid of knowing the results. But I think that in many cases they just don't realise how much money they are spending on other stuff. A medical DNA test is something that's useful for all your life. I know people who will do a routine annual blood test for 70 euro but still think that a one-time complete DNA test for 250 euro is too expensive. I can't understand the logic in that.
What is really beyond imagination is why so many amateur genetic genealogists would purchase a simple Y-DNA or mtDNA test if they have the means to go for a 23andMe test (that is, if they have the means to buy an iPhone, or a TV, or a new car...). I would gladly skip or shorten a summer holiday/vacation, or stay at a cheaper hotel, in order to buy such a fantastic test. I can understand that not everybody is interested in genetics; but what if you are and already consider buying a test ? Why go for just Y-DNA when you can get the whole package ? Why is there still companies like FTDNA, Genebase, DNA Ancestry or DNA Heritage selling Y-DNA or mtDNA tests when it's so obvious that testing all 23 pairs of chromosomes is much more useful and interesting and doesn't cost that much ?