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I have been strongly anti-Monsanto for a while. Thank you for the Quora link (https://www.quora.com/Is-Monsanto-evil https://www.quora.com/Is-Monsanto-evil). Af
by kup0 8y ago
I have been strongly anti-Monsanto for a while. Thank you for the Quora link (https://www.quora.com/Is-Monsanto-evil https://www.quora.com/Is-Monsanto-evil). After reading it and its sources, I'm finding it hard to maintain the same criticisms I have long held, in the face of this data. I think I blindly jumped on the bandwagon without realizing it. That's not to say that Monsanto is necessarily guilt-free. I'm also curious if the Monsanto chemical company and seed company at any point in any sense were connected, or not. That bit is still a bit confusing to me, because certainly there are issues with the chemical Monsanto from the 60s.
It's also unclear exactly how farmers feel about Monsanto and the whole seed reuse / patent issue. I've heard arguments that they want new seed all the time anyway, and then I've heard arguments that it hurts them financially to not be able to collect seed for replanting. Neither of these arguments appear to be coming from farmers, which complicates the matter.
That said, I do still feel like I have a philosophical issue with the idea of IP, in particular the patenting of seeds, but that's not a Monsanto-specific issue even though they are involved it it (it's a widespread practice) and I think that issue gets conflated because of the "stolen seed" / "cant recover/save seeds from the new plant" problem that patents introduce - this kind if IP control often tends to bring emotionally-driven rebuke, though I can understand why.
- cm2012 8y agoI appreciate your open mind. Here's a balanced and well researched article from a farmer if you want to read more: https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2017/02/14/without-glyphosate-farming-look-like/ https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2017/02/14/without-glypho....
- kup0 8y agoThanks! Checking it out. The more I look into this the more I am feeling like there is less and less to hold against Monsanto, save my general feelings about patents. I almost feel bad that it took until now, until your HN comment pointing it out for me to question my stance. I feel like everything you're sending me I could have found myself from searching. As someone who considers myself a proponent of facts, analysis, data, science... I'm wondering how I got scooped up in this and didn't challenge myself. Certainly a lesson learned. Even in the comments on that article, nearly everyone making anti-Monsanto claims avoids providing any sources, yet the responses to them provide plenty of evidence to the contrary. I'd like to read some valid, solid, data-proven criticisms of Monsanto. I am absolutely willing to entertain any if people can provide them or point me in the right direction. I'll be doing some research on my own now, inspired by this discussion. Part of the issue is that the internet, documentaries, news articles, etc are all a minefield of misinformation anymore, and we've got to be incredibly careful in our consumption of it.