Scroll down, MUTANTS!

it's also a good bet
> that other Exterminators would have been more than willing to
eliminate any
> "unsuitable" offspring. Or even the Exterminators who spawned them
(i.e. those
> Exterminators who were chronic violators of Frayn's breeding
objectives), if
> need be.

I think that they were principally RAISED in the culture (or even
the cult) of HATE; To them killing was like breathing. Ironically,
the Exterminators constitute the best possible "pressure force"
Frayn could ever created. They pushed themselves far beyond the
limits, and kicked the Brutals far beyond the limits - to the point
BOTH the offsprings kept to "overdo" themselves decade by decade.

>
> The whole point of a breeding program, after all, is to eliminate
the
> element of chance as much as possible, thus unite only the
most "suitable" genetic
> material.

Not only. I think Frayn was scared about malformations and all the
known spectrum of physical "incapacity". Exterminators were also
taught to "eliminate" the individuals who presented the worst
condition possible in terms of genetic features.

>
> On the subject of "brutal" women, it's my impression from the film
that no
> women whatever could rise above brutality.

Great observation!

>
> As for brutals procreating amongst themselves, Frayn certainly
wouldn't have
> surpressed that.

For a while I was toying with the idea ZED was the result of TWO
BRUTALS.

Except, as you point out, to perhaps ensure that only the
> "right" brutals mated. Though I don't think he'd have worried much
about it. If
> they were the "wrong" type, he'd have simply forbade his
Exterminators to
> mate with their women.

Probably, that was the "way". Again, the best BRUTAL MALES were
instantaniously turned into proficient EXTERMINATORS, so I think
it's almost impossible that there were still "suitable" BRUTAL MALES
who haven't yet joined the Exterminators at that point.

But it would have been essential to the viability of his
> program to have a "fresh" genetic pool available into which the
> Exterminators could dip. The worst possible outcome in such a
program is genetic
> stagnation. Well, take a look at all the terrible physical
handicaps that manifest in
> severely inbred animals, show dogs especially.
>

So what would be the "genetic stagnation" in that scenario?

Great dissertation, Roo.