Patience is a Virtue

In Rauch’s article he argues favorably for biotech and genetically modified plants. When you read all of his reasons why we should use them it seems easy to be swayed by the information he is giving you. All the problems of the world, it seems, will be solved by these genetically modified crops. We will be able to use fields that we had ruined in the past and better use the fields that we are using now. This will in turn make sure we won’t waste more land by not reusing over ploughed land. Pollution, due to run off and pesticides, will be all but illuminated and the food crisis will be a thing of the past. Third world countries will be able to use this technology to farm land that was once unfarmable and feed their people.

However, while Rauch brings some objections into the light he does little in the way of addressing them. These plants could possibly pollinate surrounding plants and we do not know what the dangers of these situations will be. He tries to address it by saying, “Those risks are real enough that even most biotech enthusiasts-including Dennis Avery, for example-favor some government regulation of genetic crops” (478). While the government may be able to monitor the first set of plants they will not be able to account for mutations and so constant observation will be needed to insure that the original, ‘safe’ plant is not lost. This will make the plant all the more expensive.

This is also a huge concern that he merely mentions as a side note and then continues talking about other things, but I believe needs to be considered seriously, the capitalistic way these plants will be used. The research to make them cost money, to change your farm to use them costs money, the time to learn about them and to implement them will cost farmers money. How is it then that these will be able to be used in third world farms? He never answers this. Also, suppose we found a way for people to do this cost effectively. Farmers will fire workers, because these plants are so easy to maintain. These displaced workers might start their own farms on lands that we are trying to save with these plants in the first place.

The major issue with this situation is that there is no time for patience. Rauch addresses this pressure because this could be the answer to our crisis and we need and answer now. Also, to make money this needs to happen quickly so that we are the first to perfect it. Capitalism is also not likely to take the safer, less profitable route. But patience is needed to make sure that we are not endangering the environment further down the line by using these plants in our haste to try and fix things now.