Michael Pollan wrote about the potato and how new leaf potatoes are not considered a food by the FDA, instead a pesticide. Does this bother anyone else? I find from this that we as humans not only ignore nature for money we are also ignoring ourselves more to gain some extra profit. Maybe this is just the United States. Maybe these are not so harmful to us and it does not matter much anyways, but the idea that these new genetically engineered potatoes are not considered a food by our own government, when we clearly use them as a food, really throws me for a loop. I am glad that I personally do not eat a lot of fast food.
We as humans are the only species to change the food we eat so that we benefit, as far as I know. Is this wrong to change these plants or is it is something they are happy about, because they prosper from it? I only find it wrong when we are harming the outside world. Does the potato really care if we stop using it? Would a potato even consider a new leaf potato a potato at all? Will the potato adapt itself to appeal more to us now that is not being used as much, or does it not care because other animals are still eating it. Maybe it does not care because it cannot, maybe it has no plan, maybe it has no feelings that it makes decisions on.
The fact that our government considers a plant the people consume as a pesticide rather then a food is quite disturbing. I am just curious what lengths the government will go in producing this "food" for the people. When will there be a line drawn as to what is appropriate to a) distribute to the people and b) not impede on the world in a destructive manner.
ReplyDeleteI agree that something definitly is not right about how the government allows industries to grow and distribute these possibly toxic induced "food". I guess this concept is so unsettling because we don't truly know the outcome. We are unable to 10 years down the road how these GM foods will affect us. It's funny at the same time though the general public when faced with the decision to choose between a tomato that is organic and safety is ensured or a tomato that has be genetically engineered and costs less...it's common they will choose the latter.
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