[Ladbarbastirm]

I have seen this conflict happen mostly when someone DNA results is not what they expect, in the case of Aframs having Euro blood and in some others that hey don't have the ancestry they wanted to, then saying the DNA companies are crap because the results isn't what they wanted it to be.What are your opinions about this matter, people?

[POMAH_K]

My results came back as expected. I didn't experience this, personally.

I have seen a few types of rejections, which were:

1. Denial of accuracy: the results are incorrect

This can be true to some degree, based on which reference samples are used, methods of admixture analysis, etc.

2. Accusations towards the provider: they have an agenda, they are manipulating the results, etc.

I haven't personally seen that, but it may exist.

3. The results are irrelevant: Culture isn't based on genetics, phenotype doesn't match genotype, etc.

Also can be true, depending on the context.

[xgnuwdd]

In my case, everything showed up that I thought would in some form. I was actually more African than I had been led to believe which shocked people in this very forum and IRL. But I knew I was mixed beforehand, so seeing admixture was nothing shocking. I was raised from the beginning knowing the truth.

[18holesin]

But people should have proof when making accusations about a DNA company having an agenda or being crap, it is not the company fault if someones isn't genetically as they expect, the one responsible is the one who led them to believe they are something they aren't

[Peapeuddedbaw]

But people should have proof when making accusations about a DNA company having an agenda or being crap, it is not the company fault if someones isn't genetically as they expect, the one responsible is the one who led them to bleive they are something they aren't

Sometimes DNA companies do have an agenda or a market to which they are catering. 23andme is great in that it allows users access to their genetic data, but its shortcomings have a lot to do with the fact that it was originally marketed to Europeans and White Americans. Hence the Asian anomalies in many Afrodescendents due to poor control group samples. Some of the health reports don't apply to many groups or are not generalizable to the entire spectrum of users. Those might be legitimate grievances IMHO.

[cepAceryTem]

My younger brother hated his y-dna haplogroup for not being "italian" since then he didnt care about his genetics, he lost interest, at first he was very excited to know about himself.

[Knqzjbmf]

My younger brother hated his y-dna haplogroup for not being "italian" since then he didnt care about his genetics, he lost interest, at first he was very excited to know about himself.

What was his haplogroup?

[Pippoles]

I have seen this conflict happen mostly when someone DNA results is not what they expect, in the case of Aframs having Euro blood and in some others that hey don't have the ancestry they wanted to, then saying the DNA companies are crap because the results isn't what they wanted it to be.What are your opinions about this matter, people?

Expectations are very dangerous things… I was lucky to have guessed my HG correct before knowing the results. Expecting nothing is a better approach, in life. It's safer, less riskier.

[Beragagnu]

My results came back as expected except I wasn't expecting my Y-DNA but it wasn't a 'bad' surprise. I guess I tried not to have expectations but sometimes you just can't help it.

[Pheboasmabs]

Sometimes DNA companies do have an agenda or a market to which they are catering. 23andme is great in that it allows users access to their genetic data, but its shortcomings have a lot to do with the fact that it was originally marketed to Europeans and White Americans. Hence the Asian anomalies in many Afrodescendents due to poor control group samples. Some of the health reports don't apply to many groups or are not generalizable to the entire spectrum of users. Those might be legitimate grievances IMHO.

Then why they included African and Asian samples if it was only intended to Euros and US Whites?Why didn't they only had Euro samples?

---------- Post added 2012-05-29 at 01:55 ----------

My Y-DNA I expected it, my MTDNA B2b was surprising as I expected C or A in Native DNA.I would have been less surprised even if I had MTDNA U.

[Quiniacab]

Then why they included African and Asian samples if it was only intended to Euros and US Whites?Why didn't they only had Euro samples?

Europeans have to be compared against someone, right? Genetic analysis is based on comparison between various peoples. Africans -- the most genetically diverse population on Earth -- are a lot more heterogeneous than 23andme captures them to be. You have to recall that the company has the Yoruba representing all of African diversity. That is already a major issue. And no, I'm not being an Afrocentrist or anything. I am just pointing out a fair issue. Same goes with the lack of Amerind samples and the deviations we saw in quite a few Latin American results, too.

[Chooriwrocaxz]

Europeans have to be compared against someone, right? Genetic analysis is based on comparison between various peoples. Africans -- the most genetically diverse population on Earth -- are a lot more heterogeneous than 23andme captures them to be. You have to recall that the company has the Yoruba representing all of African diversity. That is already a major issue. And no, I'm not being an Afrocentrist or anything. I am just pointing out a fair issue. Same goes with the lack of Amerind samples and the deviations we saw in quite a few Latin American results, too.

I know you aren't a Centrist, but was curious why a test made for Euros had Afro and Asian samples too, so I had to ask.

[Futfwrca]

i identify as a hell cyborg of the futurstic satanic race of the seven stars

[medio]

The other issue, the elephant in the room here, is when a genetic test shows you share ancestry with a group you look down on, resent, dislike, our outright hate. Perhaps it is because of some past actions of their ancestors, or modern conflicts between groups or nationalities. You may see one group, probably the group you associate with, as superior to another, and find yourself to have some ancestry of that inferior group is a result you'd like to reject.

This actually seems to be the root of much conflict, and duplicitous statements about genetics vs. culture.

[snislarne]

The other issue, the elephant in the room here, is when a genetic test shows you share ancestry with a group you look down on, resent, dislike, our outright hate. Perhaps it is because of some past actions of their ancestors, or modern conflicts between groups or nationalities. You may see one group, probably the group you associate with, as superior to another, and find yourself to have some ancestry of that inferior group is a result you'd like to reject.

This actually seems to be the root of much conflict, and duplicitous statements about genetics vs. culture.

Or that you have the ancestry of the group who used to oppress your main group too.

[oB8LI2kP]

From another thread:

But he can learn to live as one.

See, I could never do that. I'm a 40 year old man who was raised in a family with certain cultural influences, and it's too late for me to learn to live as anything else.

You know I recently had Dr. McDonald review my genome and he found a .5% Native American segment. I find that to be an interesting novelty, but identity-wise it means nothing.

What if I came out somehow with your amount of Native admixture? Would it cause me to have an identity crisis? I doubt it. I have nothing against Native Americans, nor do I feel much affinity towards them either. I have had them in my family through marriage but didn't assume any of their culture. I also know we are distantly related through my East Asian ancestry some 20k years ago. I think that's cool but it doesn't bond us culturally.

What about some guy who grew up on a reservation and finds out he's 99% Euro? Is it going to give him an identity crisis? I hope not, for his sake.

[wbeachcomber]

But people should have proof when making accusations about a DNA company having an agenda or being crap, it is not the company fault if someones isn't genetically as they expect, the one responsible is the one who led them to believe they are something they aren't

I think most Aframs know they have some kiind of mixture, so these genetic companies don't bother us for the most part, my results came back just as I expected with a high proportion of African ancestry and lower contributions from Europeans and Asians. Whatever your genes say does mean your culture matches it. Cultures and genes change over the curse of several hundreds and thousands of years so my genes may not match what my ancestors genes were completely.

[foI3fKWv]

If you were "pure" genetically of anything wouldn't that mean total inbreeding ?

Does not sound like a good thing to me.

[alanamosteller]

Culture : What you are.
Genetics : What you have, but can do nothing about.

[Dilangos]

I totally agree, this has been the heated topic for lots of people, but it is worth noting that 23andme as an example is very Eurocentric, but that does not mean that peoples results are wrong, it just means that 23andme's interpretation is flawed, but if you check your results using several different interpretation methods (Eurogenes, Dodecad ect), the accumulated data should be enough to show the real picture, regardless of the initial flawed interpretation by 23andme, i am talking about admixture results here of course...

I notice that Several largely cultural identities often have issues with their genetic results, Afro-Americans, Turks, Russians, ect...which is sad, but hopefully this will be resolved in time...