Rauch

Jonathan Rauch lists multiple examples of the benefits of GMOs and I must say I for the most part agree with him. I say for the most part because first and foremost the subject of food distribution will not be addressed by increased food production and a better environment. Unless there is massive development and regime changes around the world the starving in a good deal of cases will continue to starve, or at least not be able to take care of themselves. More food production does not solve the problem of world hunger; it only alleviates some of it. Something these authors in general have ignored is that all these problems take more than the use of an environmental (and occasionally economic) lens. Politics, exploitation, culture, and many other concepts cannot be ignored when talking about these different subjects.

Moving back to Rauch's piece however, there are a few other points he makes which he leaves himself a bit too open on. Regarding the problem of GMOs spreading and becoming invasive that is obviously a risk to consider. Rauch should instead point to examples of GMOs that have been used for over a decade now and have had no ill effects on the environment. Governments will (and do) regulate the usage of GMOs and I have a great deal of faith in science to be able to counter any possible 'invasive' plant they create. Technology and information is rapidly growing more and more. A little side note I was reading said that 4 billion gigs of information was generated last year, which is more than the last 5,000 years put together. Obviously an odd statistic to take seriously, but an interesting notion.

The other argument about the inability for people in the third world to properly use GMOs is also not very strong. Of course they cannot use more advanced forms of farming, but as time goes on, and these countries develop they will be able to. He says it will be hard to teach an 'Asian' (assuming he means East Asian) how to use a GMO, but earlier he says China has done an incredible job using GMOs already. There are a multitude of other arguments against GMOs I would love to get into, but alas short blog spaces.