Throughout their lives, Vincent and Irene were told they were sick and incapable. Vincent seems never to have yielded to this, while Irene did. Why do they respond so differently to the same influence? Does the importance Vincent attaches to the value of

Irene was genetically better off than Vincent so I think she enjoyed more benefits than Vincent did. It is also difficult to gauge the status of women in this future. As I recall most of the astronauts were men. Vincent was cleaning toilets for a living, so I don't think he had much to lose. Vincent had the added incentive to reach past the heights of his "perfect" brother Anton. Vincent wanted to prove to the world and himself that his genetics were not the deciding factor in his destiny.