Re: SOC: Two more genetic luddite items

From: Robert J. Bradbury (bradbury@www.aeiveos.com)
Date: Sun Aug 22 1999 - 19:22:08 MDT


Greg has provided us with two more cases of the manure
for brains people running amok...

The thing that seems clear to me in reading the articles is
that in Europe, the U.S. and Canada, people can afford
non-genetically engineered foods. The can even afford
the losses of "organic" crops with no pesticides. The
food costs are so low in these countries that the marginal
costs of foods that are "perceived" to be better will
be accepted by the population.

What we can't afford is an educational system that teachs
people enough about Science that they understand that
their entire food supply contains toxins that the plants
use to keep the insects at bay, many of which are carcinogens
(using tests that are somewhat questionable vis-a-vis actual
human health effects); or about things like dose-response
relationships.

However, there will be genetically engineered crops.
If too much resistance develops in the Western world,
the Biotech industry will simply move the work to
China/India/Indonesia/Thailand/etc. where the people
aren't as prissy about what they eat.

Another interesting thing about the articles is that
the biotech companies by keeping a low profile in this
area may be doing themselves a disservice because of
the perception that something "underhanded" may be
occuring.

However, if this continues, I'm going to consider the
environmental movement completely luddites and treat
them accordingly.

Robert



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