When I Grow Up

"When I Grow Up" by Richard E. Lowe is a mid-20th century science fiction story that unfolds in the year 3896 at a University known for studying human behavior. The story dives into big ideas like how much our genes and surroundings shape who we become, using the unusual case of a child named Herbux. Herbux wants to be a "Destructor". This leads to the uncovering of his shocking abilities and what they might mean for the future of the world. The story follows Professor Miltcheck von Possenfeller, who thinks our surroundings are most important, and Dr. Arthur D. Smithlawn, who argues that our genes are the key. They come across Herbux, an ordinary-looking boy with the unbelievable ability to kill just by looking. As they try to understand Herbux's wish to be a Destructor, the professors struggle with tough moral questions about his powers. Is his killer instinct something he was born with, or did he learn it? The story ultimately makes us think about whether we truly have free will, what it really means to be a kid, and how unpredictable human growth can be.