Name: Angana, Joselito C.
STS031-M2
Date: December 11, 2022
BSCE-1
Genetic Engineering: Threat to Humanity?
(Reaction Paper)
Over centuries, as modernization involving technologies continues to evolve, lots of
imaginations has come to exits and goes beyond. Humanity seeks for more convenient lifestyle
with the utilization of the capacities of technologies. Genetically modified, or transgenic,
organisms are created through high tech transfers of selected genetic material from one
organism to another. The goal of this genetic engineering process is to create new varieties of
plants and animals with chosen characteristics. Genetically modified organisms and even food
have had been created for a more convenient and a more beneficial outcomes. In the field of
agriculture, genetic engineering has been widely used for crop production and for higher yield.
GMOs have the potential to not only drastically change agriculture but to also dampen the
effects of our own irresponsible behavior.
Some individuals has taken their stance that GMOs are objectively beneficial to the
humanity due to its nature and features but there were also big controversies arose dealing with
this thing. From the three videos I have watched and from the one article I have read, I got
myself enough educated about this thing. Those resources provides the different views about
GMOs more specifically the genetic engineering appearing on focused aspect—in agriculture
and food. Genetic engineering have been embraced by farmers because of its usefulness in the
field of agriculture. This includes the GM eggplant in Bangladesh year 2013 where genetic
engineering has taken its spot by providing improvement of the health of the farmers, farmers’
income rose dramatically and it reduced the use of insecticides of more than 80%. Moreover,
this also includes the solution of the ringspot virus taken place in Hawaii where scientist
produce a GM papaya plant which can resist to that said virus. Pamela Ronald stated that for
over 40 years, there have been no record that eating GM foods have negative health impacts
on consumers. Personally, I can say that genetic engineering has been very useful to humanity
and can be the most powerful to save our biosphere however, there were some controversies
stating that Genetic engineering had harmed humanity. This was evident on the article about
Monsanto Corporation which uses genetic engineering without ethics and without considering
the health of its consumer and markets just to gain more income. In fact, within their company
GM foods from their company has not been allowed to be served to their employees. In more
focus point of view, all things has begun to go wrong with their introduction of PCB’s.
Monsanto was fully aware of the deadly effects, but criminally hid them from the public to
keep the PCB gravy-train going full speed. That situation has been followed by lot of
controversies concerning GMO’s and Genetic Engineering.
In my point of view, I could say that genetic engineering provides good benefits on us
in different aspects. Given its outcomes and products, I could say that through genetic
engineering we can survive and we can easily adapt to changes. Moreover, genetic engineering
has been the tool to create a more flexible world. On the other side, genetic engineering could
harmed humanity basing on the way of using it. We, people, are the manufacturer and should
be accountable of its outcomes. If we employ genetic engineering in a good way, then it could
be a great help to the humanity in agriculture, medicine, and other aspects. On the other hand,
it could be dangerous to humanity if we used it on other way. Therefore, the appearance and
nature of genetic engineering deeply lies on our acts.