In an egregiously long paper, which specifies no author, GMOs and the many consequences of their existence and usage are discussed. Through an incredibly detailed and sesquipedalian perspective, the anti-GMO argument is brought forth for all to slowly read; between highlighting words and clicking "Google This Word." Despite the difficulties of consuming this media, the argument delivered by the author is still understandable. The use of Genetically Modified Organisms is not to be waved off or played down. Reading even one or two pages of this document makes it extremely clear that there is much more than Big Brother would like you to believe in the predicament of genetically modifying organisms, particularly crops for human consumption.
The "unintended" consequences of replacing natural crops with genetically modified crops are the kinds of things that you see on commercials for medication complication settlement claims. There's just not enough testing being done here, and the victims are the ones being essentially forced to consume the products of these modifications. Specifically, the ones who have no choice as to where they can eat, those living in and around poverty will be bearing the brunt of the effects of genetically modified crops. If there are ways to combat the six transnational corporations who have such an iron grip on the industry, they exist through government intervention. We read that Europe has been successful in their efforts to prevent planting of genetically modified crops through the requirement of additional testing to conclude that the modifications do not cause health and/or environmental problems. In other words, the Europeans have brakes on their technological advancement vehicle, where the United States has had its brake lines cut by the legal corruption of lobbying present in Washington D.C. and only have steering and acceleration capabilities, although those are probably compromised as well.
In studies cited by the paper, we've seen indisputable evidence that GMOs cause a multitude of complications in health and in the environment, yet they still advance because there are no brakes on our vehicle here in the U.S. and other parts of the world where these crops are mainly planted. Causing a three-fold increase in tumor production and other health complications in mice through independent study and the incredible problems presented by soil contamination through Monsanto's Bt toxin and other agritoxins is not enough to get the brakes checked. Things like that can be overshadowed by money in the pockets of politicians and loopholes in the systems meant to protect people from the dangers of too-rapid innovation. The brakes here are government intervention like that of the Europeans. Without the pre-requisite of proof that these organisms aren't harming society, there is no measure to the harm that could already be on its way to our dinner tables, into the soils, and into the lives of those who till them. The only thing stopping this aside from intervention is a full scale catastrophe within the view of American citizens, and the right media coverage, not tampered with by the mega-corporations who indirectly control the media. You can see how that might be difficult to wish for, not to mention impossible to pull off.
Benefits stemming from the overly rapid pace of innovation in this case are, as mentioned, solely for the corporations. The companies producing the seeds and requiring wasteful repurchasing every season and making money selling the needed toxic chemicals to grow these plants are the ones reaping benefits. The harm, on the other hand, is placed solely on the farmers, both those who are now former farmers, replaced by machinery needed to accommodate these genetically modified crops, and those who are forced to pay more for less crop because no other seeds are available, thanks to Monsanto and company's monopoly. The reality is that the companies force the farmers to lose more of their profit margin, simply because they have control and can make them, something which should be illegal. The government intervention is so plainly necessary. If the process was slowed down and the products were tested instead of simply giving control to these companies and allowing them to do as they please.
Normally trial and error testing is the way to combat too-fast innovation. It allows society to fully test, with math to back confidence in an innovation, and understand the consequences presented by a new discovery or invention. In this case, that testing is thrown to the wind and we advance full throttle. The only question from here is "Where are we headed?" And the only indications we've seen lead us to believe it is a one-way trip to Tumorville, where we're all dead because the only food available kills us and all because it was more lucrative to six CEOs than it was healthy for seven billion human beings and counting.
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