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The Lowdown on GMOs: According to Science
Public distrust of GMOs has increased in recent years. The animosity is everywhere; from initiatives popping up left, right, and center to label'em, ban'em, or warn the public. The media overplays the reports and plays into the deft game of extrapolating far beyond what the science says as well as ignoring expert opinion on what the science actually implies.
The Lowdown on GMOs: According to Science is THE book on GMOs intended to counter the rampant fallacious thinking and destructive activism permeating the biotech discussion based on little more than anecdote and ideology.
Featuring the writings of public scientists, plant pathologists, renowned authors, farmers, science writers, professors, and journalists, they answer the hard questions asked of GMOs with elegance, ease, and evidence.
This is a book for those who want to know what the science actually says, where the evidence actually leads and the potential implications radiating from our actions.
"It's hard to find this level of quality discussion on this topic around the internet, where murky misinforming fear-mongers overwhelm the discussions." ~ Mary Mangan, PhD, President and co-founder of OpenHelix LLC
The Lowdown on GMOs: According to Science is THE book on GMOs intended to counter the rampant fallacious thinking and destructive activism permeating the biotech discussion based on little more than anecdote and ideology.
Featuring the writings of public scientists, plant pathologists, renowned authors, farmers, science writers, professors, and journalists, they answer the hard questions asked of GMOs with elegance, ease, and evidence.
This is a book for those who want to know what the science actually says, where the evidence actually leads and the potential implications radiating from our actions.
"It's hard to find this level of quality discussion on this topic around the internet, where murky misinforming fear-mongers overwhelm the discussions." ~ Mary Mangan, PhD, President and co-founder of OpenHelix LLC
110 pages, ebook
First published November 22, 2013
58 people want to read
About the author
Fourat Janabi
3 books8 followersI am a reader, a photographer, an explorer, and an idiot. Because of these qualities, I like to think I’m silly enough to write a book.
I’ve worked in Baghdad while a war was waging, in Bahrain while riots were ensuing, and in Saudi Arabia where women don’t exist. I lived in Italy where a simple task takes five days, and in Australia, where men wearing pink shirts is the new norm. While exploring twenty-five countries on five continents, and speaking bad Italian, horrible Spanish and passable Arabic, I’ve befriended Americans, Italians, Brazilians, Australians, Arabs, Chileans and New Zealanders all while faithfully and stupidly remaining the odd one out.
Through four years of craziness, staring death in the face on four occasions, meeting hundreds of beautiful people, and exploring new cultures, I now feel arrogant and important enough to commit my overvalued thoughts to fake paper and tell people what to think. The culmination of this randomness, is ‘Random Rationality: A Rational Guide to an Irrational World‘.
The first, and hopefully not last, book, of aspiring idiot, Fourat Janabi.
I’ve worked in Baghdad while a war was waging, in Bahrain while riots were ensuing, and in Saudi Arabia where women don’t exist. I lived in Italy where a simple task takes five days, and in Australia, where men wearing pink shirts is the new norm. While exploring twenty-five countries on five continents, and speaking bad Italian, horrible Spanish and passable Arabic, I’ve befriended Americans, Italians, Brazilians, Australians, Arabs, Chileans and New Zealanders all while faithfully and stupidly remaining the odd one out.
Through four years of craziness, staring death in the face on four occasions, meeting hundreds of beautiful people, and exploring new cultures, I now feel arrogant and important enough to commit my overvalued thoughts to fake paper and tell people what to think. The culmination of this randomness, is ‘Random Rationality: A Rational Guide to an Irrational World‘.
The first, and hopefully not last, book, of aspiring idiot, Fourat Janabi.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 30, 2018
The book is a good overview of the GMOs subject and therefore it's a good way for a person that has doubts on the safety of GMOs to get informed.
August 4, 2016
This book covers a decent swath of GMO food topics aimed at dismantling anti-GMO views but because it's a collection of short articles by different people it doesn't go in depth to any one topic and can be slightly repetitive. There are a couple of things that bother me about GMO food but since I'm not that well versed in the subject I picked up this book in hopes of learning more.
I am a critic of our current patent system and I was interested to hear more about genetic patents and seed use contracts but it was only mentioned in the book briefly. Once by a family farmer who was asked a series of questions, one being "Do you think you should be able to reuse the seeds you purchase from Monsanto?". To which he basically said he wasn't interested in saving seeds because of the money and effort. Side note, another question he was asked was "As many activists allege, are you a slave to Monsanto once you sign their contract?" So yeah, there's that gem. The only other instance of patents being brought up is one article saying that any patent problems there are shouldn't result in the complete banning of the technology and could be solved through more competition. It's not that I expected there to be much about patents in the book, but I am disappointed at the articles way of addressing the issue. That is, bringing it up and then not addressing it all.
The other concern of GMO food I have is that it isn't being used in a way that addresses some of the current disadvantageous effects of agriculture and in some cases may be worsening them. Such as allowing to spray more pesticides, increasing runoff, decreasing bio-diversity in food, etc. Not that I know these things to be happening. I've heard about some varieties of GMO food do much better in these areas than current non-GMO food and I've heard about some varieties of GMO food that do worse than current non-GMO food. Alas, this book doesn't really go into any differences of specific GMO strains and their benefits and sure doesn't say anything about any negative aspects. It almost always uses blanket statements about all GMOs being better in all areas. When specific GMO strains do get mentioned, they are the same ones over and over again in the articles. Are there really that few? I would like to know.
I do agree with quite a bit of the book though. There is a lot of fear mongering when dealing with GMOs that harkens back to the anti-vaccine crowds. It is very hard to change someone's mind when they have already chosen a "side". People can even become more entrenched in their views when arguing with them in a way this book does at times, by implying they are stupid and horrendously immoral. Which is how the writers may feel and it might be cathartic for them to write, but not necessarily productive. Not to imply I know best but I think society needs to step up its game explaining science better in areas like gmo, global warming, vaccines, etc. The news media isn't going to help, it may even be an active distractor.
One argumentative technique often used is claiming the moral high ground on the topic, this book does it in spades. According to this book, if it wasn't for the GMO detractors we would be saving millions of lives. This book also talks a lot about GMO's potential. One of the things that irritates me the most about humanity is our potential and our inability to reach it. I hate it. We could achieve so much more, but we don't. The issue of morality that the book brings up goes so much further than GMO. The opposition to GMO is blamed for the lack of competition and therefore the slow down of life saving products. Does market driven technology end up benefiting those in need or mainly those who can afford it? Do we not have medicines that cure illness and death that people all over the world can't afford or have access to? Will GMO food be different? I'm not saying this is an argument against GMOs (which should be obvious), but in my opinion it's something that should be talked about and discussed when talking about GMOs helping those who are starving because I definitely think they can help. Many times people try to separate science debates from politics (such as with evolution) but things are rarely so simple.
I am a critic of our current patent system and I was interested to hear more about genetic patents and seed use contracts but it was only mentioned in the book briefly. Once by a family farmer who was asked a series of questions, one being "Do you think you should be able to reuse the seeds you purchase from Monsanto?". To which he basically said he wasn't interested in saving seeds because of the money and effort. Side note, another question he was asked was "As many activists allege, are you a slave to Monsanto once you sign their contract?" So yeah, there's that gem. The only other instance of patents being brought up is one article saying that any patent problems there are shouldn't result in the complete banning of the technology and could be solved through more competition. It's not that I expected there to be much about patents in the book, but I am disappointed at the articles way of addressing the issue. That is, bringing it up and then not addressing it all.
The other concern of GMO food I have is that it isn't being used in a way that addresses some of the current disadvantageous effects of agriculture and in some cases may be worsening them. Such as allowing to spray more pesticides, increasing runoff, decreasing bio-diversity in food, etc. Not that I know these things to be happening. I've heard about some varieties of GMO food do much better in these areas than current non-GMO food and I've heard about some varieties of GMO food that do worse than current non-GMO food. Alas, this book doesn't really go into any differences of specific GMO strains and their benefits and sure doesn't say anything about any negative aspects. It almost always uses blanket statements about all GMOs being better in all areas. When specific GMO strains do get mentioned, they are the same ones over and over again in the articles. Are there really that few? I would like to know.
I do agree with quite a bit of the book though. There is a lot of fear mongering when dealing with GMOs that harkens back to the anti-vaccine crowds. It is very hard to change someone's mind when they have already chosen a "side". People can even become more entrenched in their views when arguing with them in a way this book does at times, by implying they are stupid and horrendously immoral. Which is how the writers may feel and it might be cathartic for them to write, but not necessarily productive. Not to imply I know best but I think society needs to step up its game explaining science better in areas like gmo, global warming, vaccines, etc. The news media isn't going to help, it may even be an active distractor.
One argumentative technique often used is claiming the moral high ground on the topic, this book does it in spades. According to this book, if it wasn't for the GMO detractors we would be saving millions of lives. This book also talks a lot about GMO's potential. One of the things that irritates me the most about humanity is our potential and our inability to reach it. I hate it. We could achieve so much more, but we don't. The issue of morality that the book brings up goes so much further than GMO. The opposition to GMO is blamed for the lack of competition and therefore the slow down of life saving products. Does market driven technology end up benefiting those in need or mainly those who can afford it? Do we not have medicines that cure illness and death that people all over the world can't afford or have access to? Will GMO food be different? I'm not saying this is an argument against GMOs (which should be obvious), but in my opinion it's something that should be talked about and discussed when talking about GMOs helping those who are starving because I definitely think they can help. Many times people try to separate science debates from politics (such as with evolution) but things are rarely so simple.
May 14, 2014
This is a collection of articles from scientists, bloggers, farmers, and journalist from a pro-GMO stance. I have to say there were some very persuasive articles that gave some good scientific information and made persuasive arguments. However, there were a couple of articles that the author seems angry and condescending rather than making a valid argument for GMO’s.
The company heading the lead on GMO’s is Monsanto that has a questionable business practices. I can’t say I’m a fan of Monsanto but they are using science to hopefully make a difference how our food can be grown. GMO could possibly help add nutrition that is lacking in certain areas and helping make crops more resistant to weather where crops can’t survive otherwise. The biggest thing that caught my attention is using fewer pesticides, better use of the soil and making better use of water to grow crops, so we aren’t robbing ourselves of clean drinking water. There is always the case for organics but that may not be accessible or affordable to everyone. The dark side is that because it is a new science that breeds fear and images that only feed that fear. I am also concerned about the consequences to our long term health. Scientist say it’s perfectly safe but there is always that doubt. I also wonder if the people that need it the most will really have access to it with the patents and contracts.
We are a society is always looking for better science to help cure diseases and better our lives so I can’t see this a terrible thing. I am in favor of more research and labeling. I am hoping that this topic will be covered a bit more in a longer format for a better overall view.
The company heading the lead on GMO’s is Monsanto that has a questionable business practices. I can’t say I’m a fan of Monsanto but they are using science to hopefully make a difference how our food can be grown. GMO could possibly help add nutrition that is lacking in certain areas and helping make crops more resistant to weather where crops can’t survive otherwise. The biggest thing that caught my attention is using fewer pesticides, better use of the soil and making better use of water to grow crops, so we aren’t robbing ourselves of clean drinking water. There is always the case for organics but that may not be accessible or affordable to everyone. The dark side is that because it is a new science that breeds fear and images that only feed that fear. I am also concerned about the consequences to our long term health. Scientist say it’s perfectly safe but there is always that doubt. I also wonder if the people that need it the most will really have access to it with the patents and contracts.
We are a society is always looking for better science to help cure diseases and better our lives so I can’t see this a terrible thing. I am in favor of more research and labeling. I am hoping that this topic will be covered a bit more in a longer format for a better overall view.
March 22, 2014
This small eBook contains several articles of opinions and facts from a cross section of individuals involved in the debate on GMOs, with a slant toward the scientific side and what the actual data show. It paints a very clear picture that much of the fear mongering over GMOs is the left wing's version of science denialism. Most of the current data show that GMOs are indeed helpful, and not dangerous to us at all.
While this was a nice review of the scientific stance on GMOs, don't go looking for this to be a full accounting of the data available. The articles come from scientists, journalists, farmers, and even bloggers; some of the articles seem to be just filler and didn't provide any real value in my opinion. There is a great "facts" section in the back that you can check into, as well as a summary of reports from many leading scientific institutions, not just big Ag businesses. In the end this has intrigued me enough that I think I would like to see if there is a more thorough book that could provide greater detail and a deeper understanding of this subject.
June 4, 2016
Great collections of essays, especially enjoyed the fact that they ranged from people in many fields not only scientists.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews