Artificial What? Sounds Like Another Shortcut to Me.

Imagine finding out that the Big Mac you just ate contained beef from a cow that was cloned or artificially selected. Or the lettuce that you picked out of the box where it fell from the burger wasn't grown at a nice natural farm somewhere, but was in fact developed in a lab.



Picture now sitting at Woodbine Race Track watching one horse run at 2 or 3 times the speed of the others because he had his genes artificially selected. How fair does that sound?




My opinion on this topic is very similar to that of designer babies. In fact, I really don't see how a person could agree with either idea and be against the other. How could one have different opinions on designer babies and artificial selection in plants and animals? In my eyes they're the same thing; altering the genes to display certain desired traits. I find this new "breakthrough" equally as disturbing as the idea of creating a "genetically modified" baby.

Many will argue that artificially selecting or modifying the genes plants and animals alike would save time, money and resources. Although this may be true, and I do not deny that it is, is it really safe? One of our science teachers told me that it could be beneficial especially in third world countries that could use the speedy process that is artificially selection of plants which would include crops that could be used domestically as well as be exported internationally to help the economy of that country.

Still, is it really worth the risk to compromise everything that we as a human race have known and trusted since the beginning of time?

I don't think so. I still don't believe that taking shortcuts is the better way to do anything. Sure shortcuts take less time, and energy, but at the end of the day you'll realize that you had to cut out a few steps or some good ingredients that would have made the product its absolute best. Is it worth it to speed through the process if it means you have to settle for the mediocre version of the the full scale, real deal?

Well it's your choice. All I can say for myself is that I'm sticking with au naturel as best as I can.

Sources:
http://faculty.ed.uiuc.edu/g-cziko/wm/14.html#Heading2

http://threes.com/cms/images/stories/food/big-mac-extra-value-meal.jpg

http://ntp0.ucd.ie/expertiseatucd/researchshowcase/racehorses/images/01_horses.jpg

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/au+naturel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_selection

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwin

http://library.thinkquest.org/C0118084/Gene/Genetic_variation/artificialselection.htm