What is the problem your topic is trying to solve?
The problem that our topic, GMO, is trying to solve is to create superior genes in food so that crops would be able to withstand different difficulties. For example, when corn is planted, many insects flock to the crops, so the farmers will spray the corn with pesticides to keep the bugs off. The problem with pesticide is that it ruins the corn’s quality, so by genetically modifying food we are able to make farming much easier.
What assumptions are made by your sources?
IRT (Institute for Responsible Technology) makes an assumption saying that “evidence suggests that genetically modified foods, such as soy and corn, may help explain the recent explosion of gluten-related disorders, which now affect up to 18 million Americans,” however, The Genetic Literacy Project and CDF (Celiac Disease Foundation) claims that the statement is false. First of all, the claim that IRT made has no scientific proof to make sure that the statement is true. Second, when Jeffrey Smith, who runs IRT, posted that claim onto his blog in 2013, genetically modified wheat was not commercialized yet. To add on, University of Georgia’s Dr. Wayne Parrott claims that over 1000 studies have found no evidence that GMO causes health effects.
(Genetic Literacy Project, 2015), (Isaaa, 2013), (Celiac, 2013)
What are the writer’s biases?
Between the three websites that I used, I found that one website (The Lugar Center) was for GMO. They’re thoughts on the subject were positive and focused on the good side of GMO, however, the next website I looked into (IRT) was completely against genetically modifying. They listed many reasons on why we should not be buying GM products.
What social implications does your topic have?
There are many social implications of GMO, some good and some bad. In a more positive aspect of GMO, we could easily conclude that genetically modifying would definitely increase food, but not nearly enough to end world hunger, as some of the sites stated. The crops are easier to grow therefore more food would be produced, but we aren’t always sure if this food is safe. Many people doubt genetically modified foods and believe that it leads to illness and disease. The excess amounts of pesticides and chemicals that protect the crops against insects are harmful to humans, although the crops are washed thoroughly and are disposed of the harsh chemicals, many still proclaim that it causes damage. In stores, non GMO products are being put on the shelf and are way more common to see now then when GMO was first introduced. Non GMO products are more expensive than the usual GM foods, making people who want to keep this non GMO lifestyle have to dig deeper in their pockets.
What ethical implications does your topic have?
The ethical implications of GMOs is that most people think it is “wrong” to use GMOs. This would be because most people believe that GMOs only have a negative impact, however, there are multiple benefits of GMOs. For example, genetically modified corn can be insect resistant. It benefits people by increasing the amount of food that is made and makes that food more resistant to negative things such as pesticides. Overall, it mostly has a positive implication on our world today.
Evaluate your topic and whether it is a satisfactory solution to the problem, given the weaknesses you have already addressed.
There is no “satisfactory solution” to the problem with GMOs. Many people, scientists and non-scientists, believe that GMOs can cause or increase the change of diseases, such as cancer. However, that is not true, or at least most research papers state that it is not true. This is a large debate that continues every day. The weakness of this topic is that a large number of the general public is biased towards the fact that GMOs do lead to a list of diseases which makes it difficult to come up with a final solution, whether it be a decreased use of GMOs or that it is used in a different way or to not be used at all.
What is your personal stance on this topic?
For me personally, I don’t agree with genetically modifying foods. After doing my research, I didn’t see anything too remarkable. GMO doesn’t seem like it’s helping society by much, and I saw more negative aspects than positive. Instead of hearing about what genetically modifying has helped us achieve, I mostly saw stories about people who had been affected badly by it. The whole idea of ending world hunger by genetically modifying food is far too big of a dream when GMO really hasn’t proven much in the first place. Sure, genetically modifying helps farmers grow crops, but does it benefit humans as well? The only thing GMOs have increased is the use of pesticides and other chemicals which are harmful to humans and to the planet. I say that non GMOs would be a better choice than GMOs, but that’s just my opinion.
Bibliography:
(The Lugar Center, n.d.)
(Jeffrey, 2011)
(ISAAA, 2013)
(Katiraee, 2015)
(Hennessy, 2013)
(Open Letter from World Scientists to All Governments Concerning Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), 2000)
(Tribe, 2013)