Changing the Negative Perception of GMOs A negative perception of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) is prevalent among our society. This negative perception is evidenced not only in the numerous advertisements proclaiming “non-GMO” and “all natural” products; it is also shown in network news, social media, marketing, and even academic journals. There are many factors that contribute to the negative perception of GMOs, including misunderstanding or confusion, lack of knowledge, ethics, religion, media bias, and lack of credible information. These are all facts we already know; what we don’t know is how society can change this statistic. Perhaps the most relevant and understandable factor behind opposition of the use of GMOs is the lack of desperate need. In developed countries, there is no issue in feeding the populace. However, in developing countries the story is much different. Farmers in developing countries still use outdated practices and don’t have access to the same technology as those in developed countries. This contributes to the difficulty of farmers in developing countries to feed the country’s entire population. GMOs reduce the maturation time of crops, allowing them to be harvested more often throughout the year. They can also decrease the vulnerability of crops to flood, drought, and frost, leading to increased crop yields (Goyal and Gurtoo 1). Thus, it is not surprising that those in developing countries are extremely welcoming to the use of GMOs. In
GMOs, (genetically modified organisms) have been a topic of interest in the social eyes for years. Since they’ve been created, many people have voiced and written about their opinions on GMOs, and whether they are dangerous or not. Created to expand the genetic diversity of crops and animals, many don’t know whether GMOs are good or bad, and neither do researchers. Though there hasn’t been any evidence claiming whether GMOs are good or bad, it has certainly not stopped the public from creating their own opinions. Since no one knows the truth behind GMO, it has opened a window of opportunities for companies including Monsanto to voice their support of GMO, while other companies like the Non-GMO Project voice their
In the essay “Genetically Modified Food: Watching What We Eat,” by Julie Cooper, she argues against the rampant use of genetically modified food (GMO) without any current form of regulation. Cooper discusses the possibility of health risks to those consuming foods with altered genes and the food’s capabilities to have far-reaching health risks. She continues with a discussion as to how and why the creation and use of the GMOs have become so unregulated. She then discusses the response, which is the public’s cry for their right to make informed choices. Other topics discusses are the political, environmental, and corporate ramifications of the rise of GMOs.
Gmo Fear! Advertisers are misleading the public. Sometimes this is intentional and sometimes it is out of ignorance or because data has not been collected yet. Either way, the public has been pulled and tugged in opposite directions on the GMO issues. People are against GMO foods for health safety, farming practices, technological reasons, fear, and some for religious reasons. A. S. Bawa states, “There are controversies around GM food on several levels, including whether food produced with it is safe, whether it should be labelled and if so how, whether agricultural biotechnology and it is needed to address world hunger now or in the future, and more specifically with respect to intellectual property and market dynamics, environmental effects of GM crops and GM crops’ role in industrial agricultural more generally”. This statement puts the GMO issue in a nutshell that marketers and advertisers must contend with. Advertisers for and against GMO foods are appealing to both sides of the debate, but as Bawa indicates, “If we want to put this technology on a proper scientific foundation and allay the fears of the general public considerable effort needs to be directed towards understanding people’s
GMOs are living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering. The GMO debate has a huge gap just like the climate change’s ambiguous debate. Some people are for the consumption of it and have as arguments that GMOs will feed the future population of the world that is expected to double in the few years to come, or that scientists can build stronger crops that resist to pests, therefore less use of pesticides. Some are against these ideas because they think that GMOs represent a threat to the environment and that they can cause a lot of health problems. The goal of this paper is to look at two articles “The GMO Debate is Over Again” by Mark Lynas and" Seeds of Evil: Monsanto and Genetic Engineering" by Dr. Joseph Mercola, and see where the use rhetorical strategies are effective and where they are not.
“When you light a candle, you also cast a shadow.” – Ursula K. Le Guin. No matter what good some people believe they are doing, everything seems to come with a consequence, and the question is whether or not the good overpowers the bad. Many experts argue that Genetically Modified foods are actually beneficial to, not only people, but animals, plants, and the world overall. Some experts even state that, not only are they beneficial, but that they also protect the environment and aid food productivity. Most farmers actually recommend GMO’s because they are easier to grow, maintain, and tend to be more profitable; however, countless other experts have come to realize that GMO foods are untested, unsafe, and unhealthy. Studies indicate that
Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs, are foods that have been prepared through the gene-splicing techniques of biotechnology. Although GMOs have been all over the world for numerous years, it wasn’t till just lately that individuals have become more concerned with them. Though, countless industries and corporations that produce genetically modified organisms, like Monsanto, attempt to make believe that the foods they harvest are healthy and valuable for the environment; though that may be correct at first glimpse, numerous anti-GMO protestors are certain that these corporations trick people into believing corrupt information. In this essay, we will uncover the pros and cons of these foods and ultimately, come to the assumption that GMOs may have letdowns for
So, in a panic, they spread word of heart problems, liver failure, and even cancer (Young 46). Dispersing false information of environmental damage, they argue on, using emotional catches to build support (Blake 4). But science is not running blindly into a snare; instead it is carefully progressing toward a better age, illuminating the future with possibility. Contrary to popular belief, there is no substantial evidence that GMOs have any harmful effects, not only after being extensively studied, but also after the consuming of trillions of meals containing GMOs (“GMOS: A Solution” 131). GMOs are environmentally sound, and also reduce the need for environmentally harmful agrichemicals (Blake 4). The most frustrating aspect of the debate on GMOs is that “those opposed to GMOs act like religious zealots unwilling to listen…dismissing out of hand the notion that the gene altering technology might be completely harmless or even a boon to humanity” (qtd Kruse & Thorn
“I have a lot of opinions,” Gibson said, “but what really ruffles my feathers is when I see these campaigns about anti-GMOs and antibiotic free chicken.”
Imagine, if you will, something that can protect our food from pests. Something that saves our water resources by watering our crops less. Imagine something that allows us to feed more people and grow more food. This, among many other things, is what the GMOs claim to fame is. What actually is a GMO? In recent years the conversation about this topic has increased significantly for good or ill. We hear amazing things about GMOs, all the potential benefits for mankind and our food. Conversely, we hear very negative things about GMOs and how it adversely affects our food and the people eating these foods. What is the truth? What do the facts says, and what is the world doing about GMOs? This paper will discuss what a GMO is, the labeling of GMOs and the controversies surrounding GMOs. These three topics will lead to a better understanding of the GMO debate.
GMOs can help feed the future. The reasoning for this is because GMOs are capable of surviving the harsh conditions of the environment, so farmers have the capability to preserve water and energy in order to feed the future. Furthermore the article “GMOs and the Environment” mentions that “the total land devoted to agriculture around the globe is 20,000,000 square miles. That’s more than five times the area of the united states. The availability of farmland is essential to agricultural production. And yet, the availability of new land suitable for crop production is limited”(3). This key information shows the true importance of agriculture land and how this land will play a vital role ,but it is limited for the sheer fact that farmland is
Genetically modified organism (GMO) usage has been an almost taboo subject for many years. The opinions of the people on both sides of the issue are fueled with emotion and extreme. The problem with this is that “A staggering one in three European citizens agrees with the statement that ordinary tomatoes don’t have genes but genetically modified ones do” (Gibney 15). This lack of information could be a cause of the resistance. People who do not understand GMOs thus cling to whatever they have heard to support their beliefs. Even then, the usage of GMOs is still a difficult topic as there is not enough conclusive evidence to support either side. Often compared to Frankenstein, these “Franken foods” tend to have a negative
Some consumers do not agree with GMOs. In fact, about seven out of ten people say they do not want consume GMOs. But there are others that just do not care. GMOs make up 80% of all packaged foods. (Doering, 2014). Tests have been done to mice to see the effects of genetically modified corn. The results were that the mice grew tumors. (Adams, 2012). Imagine what they could be doing in human bodies. Why do we use GMOs when tests have been done that show they are harmful? “Safety assessments are mandatory for GMOs in other major developing countries including China, Japan, and the countries of the European Union.” (Rock 2014). The bad things are GM products are creating problems every day. Scientists have proven they cause harmful effects. And people are trying to outlaw GM products. Hundreds of millions of people consume GMOs. (Adams 2012). Many products labeled “natural” still may contain them. (Rock 2014). What is good is that “more farmers are rejecting GMOs, and more consumers are demanding non-GMO foods.” (Cummins 2014). And money has been spent on ballot initiatives to force companies to have to put labels on products to inform the people what they are eating. (Doering
In 2007, a survey was conducted of 1,000 adults in America by the International Food Information Council (IFIC). Thirty-three percent of the participants believed that genetically modified foods would benefit them or their families. Twenty-three percent of the survey’s participants did not even realize that foods that contained genetically modified organisms had already reached the market (Phillips 5). In a famous skit by late night show comedian, Jimmie Kimmel, he proves that most people don’t even know what a GMO is, although they think they might. Yet, they also tell the reporter that they would not let their child have a GMO. This is identical to how society as a whole views GMOs. A high percentage of today’s population does not want
I’m sure you heard of GMO’s, but do you really understand what they are. GMO’s, also known as genetically modified organisms, denotes organism’s with DNA has been altered and does not occur through mating or in nature (WHO). The media portrays GMO’s in this negative light
Because richer nations don’t currently need GMOs it is easy to denounce them under any possibility that they could be harmful. Because developed nations are not as affected, they would rather just avoid and condemn GMOs seemingly without consequence due to any potential risk rather than actually analyze and evaluate the harmful effects. There are, however, consequences that often go unnoticed in poor nations where the efficiency of GMO crops is crucial to feeding their explosive population growth. Rather than blindly condemn all GMOs, it is important to clarify misconceptions about GMOs so that the debate can shift focus to the extent of screening and testing that should be conducted before approving a GMO product for human consumption.