Genetic Modification

Humans have domesticated both plants and animals over centuries.  With this type of control we often feel that we are more powerful than nature.  Domestication lead humans to discover a way to establish even more control over nature.  Genetic Modification is the new way to dominate both plants and animals.  However, with this form of control we have created problems for ourselves.  When we select for specific genes repeatedly it removes variation.  This becomes an issue because eventually this leads to species being breed that are from the same line, this is called inbreeding.  When inbreeding happens genetic mutations are more likely to occur.  Often these mutations are harmful to the species we are breeding.

As discussed in my Environmental History course, this happened with wheat.  During the Green Revolution scientists were experimenting with wheat genes to produce a more sustainable crop for farms in the west.  As the selected for certain genes the wheat began to alter its form into a crop that produced larger grains.  However, the stalks on these new strains became to weak to hold the grain.  The problem with genetic modification is that when we select for a gene we want we do not know the consequences that can come out of it.  Each time a problem arises we just select a new gene.  Our desire for control over nature puts us in a dangerous position of never being able to stop trying to fix a problem that did not exist in the first place.