Both Sides Now
Joni Mitchell
I’ve looked at life from both sides now,
From win and lose, and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall.
I really don’t know life at all.
Both Sides Now. Fallacies in the Genetic-Modification Wars, Implications for Developing Countries, and Anthropological Perspectives by Glenn Davis Stone
The greens’ scorn for public research appears to some to reveal a lack of genuine concern for the welfare of developing-country populations (Nash 2001), but it more likely results from a perceived need to engage the struggle on a large scale with strong financing and a wide following.
Large, ardent followings of check-mailing opponents of genetic modification are better mobilized by bold black-and-white slogans than by critical evaluations of the potential effects of different genetically modified products. Mass marketing has led to a shameless “dumbing down” of the issues. Greenpeace, with a global presence and around 4 million paying supporters (Purdue 2000:73), offers one of the boldest condemnations of genetic modification; it is no accident that right next to the “No Genetic Modification” banner on its web page is the “click here to join” button.However, the greens’ demonization of genetically modified crops has effects that are contradictory to their values. Promoting blanket disapproval of such crops helps drive public-sector genetic modification into the arms of industry. Genetic modification is expensive, and most public projects are in a constant struggle for funding. Industry provides some funds and access to genetic materials; greens provide no funding and obstruct philanthropic investment (ABC News Online 2001). Green activists may claim to have developing countries’ interests at heart, but many public researchers have devoted their careers to improving nutrition for the poor, often spurning better-paid positions in industry. Many actually share greens’ disapproval of increasing corporate control over developing countries’ food production, but they can hardly be blamed for disdaining activists who demonize public research along with corporate projects. They may fairly ask green critics why they do not approve of ongoing research such as cassava modification that is explicitly tailored to improving food security for the poor.
Current Anthropology Volume 43, Number 4, August–October 2002
