Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are used to treat diseases and produce GMO agricultural products, and while they have positive uses, they are also controversial due to ecosystem disruption and safety concerns. In particular, the negative impacts of uncontrolled GMOs on society and the environment need to be recognized, and consumer protection and stewardship are needed.
The movie Dawn of the Planet of the Apes has been remade many times. The original film is a novel and was first released in 1968, and since then, there have been a series of sequels and remakes. In particular, 2001’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and the recently released Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, despite their different temporal and spatial backgrounds, both tell the same story of monkeys coming to dominate humans as uncontrolled genetically engineered experiments for human arrogance and profit. It’s about human superiority and the dangers of uncontrolled technology, themes that were highly controversial even at the time.
The reason we feel uncomfortable with the Planet of the Apes story stems from the belief that humans are the only animals with intelligence. This belief leads us to think that animals and nature should be under human control and dominance, which is why a movie about monkeys escaping human control and threatening humans is offensive. However, in the modern world, in the pursuit of commercial gain, we are practicing uncontrollable genetic modification, just as the movie warns, and we don’t think enough about how it will affect society and the environment.
The evolution of genetic engineering
The beginnings of genetic engineering date back to the mid-20th century. The discovery of the structure of DNA in the 1950s revolutionized the life sciences. Then, in the 1970s, genetic recombination technology was developed, which opened up new ways to manipulate genes in organisms by cutting or splicing them with specialized enzymes. This technology was initially limited to the laboratory, but over time, its applications expanded into disease treatment and agriculture.
There are two main areas where genetic manipulation is being used. One is for disease treatment and prevention, and the other is commercial variety improvement, represented by genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
In the case of genetic modification for disease treatment and prevention, it is being used to mass-produce insulin for diabetics, mass-produce blood clotting factors for hemophiliacs, and develop vaccines. These techniques have revolutionized the treatment of disease and have helped save lives, especially since they are often done in highly controlled laboratories, so there are fewer safety concerns.
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs), on the other hand, are highly controversial. GMOs are organisms that have had some of their genes altered by combining genes from one organism with another. Typical examples include tomatoes that don’t ripen and soybeans that don’t die to herbicides, and they’re mostly found in soybeans, corn, cotton, and canola. However, GMOs have raised a number of concerns, including their potential to disrupt environmental ecosystems, genetic contamination, and effects on human health.
Why are genetically modified agricultural products like GMOs so widely used commercially? To answer this question, we must first look at the benefits of GMOs. GMOs have the advantage of being pest-resistant, easy to grow, highly productive, and easy to store for long periods of time. These traits were seen as important ways to mass-produce food, solve hunger, and protect the environment.
The myth of GMOs
However, these benefits of GMOs are highly debatable. The world’s hunger problem is not simply a matter of a lack of food, but of economic inequality and inadequate distribution of resources. In fact, as of 2007, global grain production was sufficient, but hunger still existed. The claim that GMOs can reduce the use of herbicides or pesticides is also unrealistic. On the contrary, pesticide use has increased due to the emergence of herbicide-resistant superweeds and pesticide-resistant superbugs.
The dangers of GMOs
Furthermore, GMOs have fatal drawbacks. First, they are not guaranteed to be safe. In a 1998 experiment by Dr. Pustai in the UK, rats fed genetically modified potatoes suffered from reduced immune function, brain shrinkage, and damage to major organs. Second, GMOs are difficult to control once they are grown. Once genetically modified crops are released into the wild, they can contaminate ecosystems, which can have effects that are difficult to reverse. Third, they can destroy the diversity of ecosystems. In experiments with genetically engineered trout, there have been reports of genetically modified trout causing the extinction of the common trout.
Despite these dangers of GMOs, we still consume GMO foods for the benefit of multinational corporations. Just as the humans lost control of the monkeys in Planet of the Apes, there may come a day when genetically modified agricultural products that are out of our control could end up wreaking havoc on our society and ecosystems.
Conclusion
That’s why we need to keep GMOs under control. Governments have a responsibility to clearly label the ingredients in GMO foods and to fully inform consumers of the risks of GMOs. If GMOs cannot be banned outright, consumers should at least be given the right to know the risks and make choices. Only by spreading this awareness in our society will we be able to prevent the unforeseen consequences of genetically modified agricultural products.
