• Challenging Monsanto: Over two million march the streets of 436 cities, 52 countries
    84 replies, posted
[QUOTE=Valiantttt;40791282]I never heard anything about Monsanto? Have I been living under a rock?[/QUOTE] They pretty much have a monopoly on genetically engineered seeds so everyone is pretty much forced to use their seeds to remain competitive. Also you can't use the seeds that come out of crops you planted with their seeds. Yeah, that's Monsanto for you.
[QUOTE=joes33431;40791794]there's not enough evidence to suggest that certain kinds of genetically-modified organisms are safe, nor is there enough to suggest that they're unsafe.[/QUOTE] I think it'd be better if people just found out what is and what isn't bad for them on their own. We have magazines like Consumer Reports that make money telling us what we should and shouldn't eat. Companies are interested in seeing people benefiting from using their product and coming back for repeat business. Accidently rated you artistic.
[QUOTE=SPESSMEHREN;40792024]Can someone tell me exactly what is so bad about Monsanto? I just don't get it, they're a company, and the only accusations of "shady" dealings I've seen were from sources like Daily Kos and AlterNet and blatantly biased environmental awareness sites.[/QUOTE] Not much really. Most people hate them because of ideological reasons. It's a large corporation and genetically modifies food. You are going to get a whole spectrum of loonies. [editline]26th May 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Electrocuter;40792025]They pretty much have a monopoly on genetically engineered seeds so everyone is pretty much forced to use their seeds to remain competitive. Also you can't use the seeds that come out of crops you planted with their seeds. Yeah, that's Monsanto for you.[/QUOTE] Patents expire and they keep developing new seeds. Monsanto isn't the only corporation though.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40792134]Not much really.[/QUOTE] honey bee populations are srs busns
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40791923][url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food[/url] I'm pretty sure many of the protesters out there are against GM crops because of misplaced fears based on psuedo-science.[/QUOTE] I suppose I was misinformed. [QUOTE=Fenderson;40792239]honey bee populations are srs busns[/QUOTE] considering that they pollinate many essential food crops, and agricultural companies spend thousands of dollars to transport colonies to their crops during the appropriate pollination times, they kind of are.
Can anyone really be surprised the same company that made agent orange is a horrible company?
[QUOTE=plokoon9619;40784729]Not according to the polls :eng101:[/QUOTE] Even if the polls disagreed with him, it doesn't matter. Just because a number of people agree with something doesn't mean it's true.
Can I get some other sources? I don't feel comfortable just citing Russia Today.
[QUOTE=carcarcargo;40793092]Can anyone really be surprised the same company that made agent orange is a horrible company?[/QUOTE] agent orange itself isn't so much the problem as it was that the agent orange was contaminated with a [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin"]highly toxic dioxin[/URL]. in this vein, Monsanto is still at fault, but they didn't explicitly make something that caused birth defects, they just didn't do much to prevent it from happening.
[QUOTE=Reds;40784924]I hate to be pessimistic, but I have the feeling that this is going to achieve absolutely nothing and the protesters will be ignored and dismissed.[/QUOTE] Exhibit M why we need a pessimistic rating
[QUOTE=carcarcargo;40793092]Can anyone really be surprised the same company that made agent orange is a horrible company?[/QUOTE] Indeed. I'm not surprised that the same country which committed acts of genocide against the native Americans is a horrible country. [editline]26th May 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Reds;40784924]I hate to be pessimistic, but I have the feeling that this is going to achieve absolutely nothing and the protesters will be ignored and dismissed.[/QUOTE] Good.
[QUOTE=Mr_Razzums;40785182]Penn and teller did a pretty good bullshit! episode on the topic, its worth a watch.[/QUOTE] While i like the show, I am also painfully aware that most large corporations and conglomerates use the media to influence and shape the beliefs of the masses. In this case. just because they call it bullshit it does not make GMO any better. Showing images of sad starving children is a perfect example of them trying to justify something by exploiting our human empathy. Observe how the show portrays and ridicules those activists. It is reducing the very concept of rejection itself down into something laughable. Hating GMO according to this show is obviously something only dumb treehugging hippies do.
[QUOTE=Tengil;40794080]While i like the show, I am also painfully aware that most large corporations and conglomerates use the media to influence and shape the beliefs of the masses.[/quote] Silly sheep, keep watching your mainstream media. I'm going to get my news from reputable sources such as gaming forums and evangelical webshites. [quote]In this case. just because they call it bullshit it does not make GMO any better.[/quote] It's not like the output of food has gone up because of the introduction of these new crops. [quote]Showing images of sad starving children is a perfect example of them trying to justify something by exploiting our human empathy. Observe how the show portrays and ridicules those activists. It is reducing the very concept of rejection itself down into something laughable. Hating GMO according to this show is obviously something only dumb treehugging hippies do.[/QUOTE] The rejection of GMO is pretty laughable tbh. People don't want to admit it, but soon the vast majority of food is going to be produced by companies and will be GM food.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40791305]It's a company that genetically engineers seeds, and is often a target of conspiracy theorists.[/QUOTE] Yeah just conveniently leave out how they'll sue you if your field gets contaminated with their product, and how they've managed to make it illegal to replant the Monsanto crops you paid for - you have to buy new seeds again. We get that you get a hardon over GMO but your continued defense of Monsanto is embarassing
[QUOTE=Zeke129;40794198]how they've managed to make it illegal to replant the Monsanto crops you paid for - you have to buy new seeds again.[/QUOTE] You signed a contract with them to do that, why is this an issue? [url]http://www.monsanto.com/newsviews/Pages/Why-Does-Monsanto-Patent-Seeds.aspx[/url] [quote]“Farmers are presented with a contract that gives them a license to purchase the proprietary seed and traits,” Scott Baucum, Monsanto trait stewardship lead, said. “It also spells out the obligations and responsibilities that they would have in growing that seed. Among those obligations, farmers agree not to save seed and plant it again the following year. If a farmer wants to grow Roundup Ready soybeans again in a successive season, that farmer would agree to approach a licensed seed company and purchase that seed.”[/quote] Secondly: [quote]Patents do have an expiration date; most expire within 20 years. At the end of that time period the patented technology would no longer be restricted and available to the general public.[/quote] [editline]26th May 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Zeke129;40794198]We get that you get a hardon over GMO but your continued defense of Monsanto is embarassing[/QUOTE] Attacking large corporations for the fact they are large corporations is lazy.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40791258][url]http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Naturalnews[/url][/QUOTE] [QUOTE]If you cite NaturalNews on any matter whatsoever, you are almost certainly wrong.[/QUOTE] Same goes for rationalwiki. I must say, that website is unrationally rational. It portrays certian indivudals as if they were all-knowing gods and glorifies certian belief systems. At the same time it points fingers and throws dirt at everything else that supposivly is not "rational". If you are letting this site be the foundation to build your perspective of the world. You're making a great mistake, because it is simply doing all the thinking for you.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40794247]You signed a contract with them to do that, why is this an issue? [url]http://www.monsanto.com/newsviews/Pages/Why-Does-Monsanto-Patent-Seeds.aspx[/url][/quote] That article doesn't explain why Monsanto feels the need to make this a part of their contract in the first place. If something is unethical it doesn't matter if people are agreeing to it - it's still unethical. [quote]Attacking large corporations for the fact they are large corporations is lazy.[/QUOTE] Yes, I hate all large corporations. That's why I'm constantly attacking Google and other tech giants. Oh wait, no I'm not. Because Google isn't despicable.
[QUOTE=Tengil;40794308]Same goes for rationalwiki. I must say, that website is unrationally rational. It portrays certian indivudals as if they were all-knowing gods and glorifies certian belief systems. At the same time it points fingers and throws dirt at everything else that supposivly is not "rational". If you are letting this site be the foundation to build your perspective of the world. You're making a great mistake, because it is simply doing all the thinking for you.[/QUOTE] Alright, so. Where is your argument about GM foods being made? My view of the world isn't solely built around Rationalwiki, although I tend to agree with a lot of it (mainly due to it being composed of rational people, some of whom are a bit obsessed about attacking religion). [editline]26th May 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Zeke129;40794334]That article doesn't explain why Monsanto feels the need to make this a part of their contract in the first place. If something is unethical it doesn't matter if people are agreeing to it - it's still unethical.[/quote] Except it's a contract for selling seeds. Law prevailed here, and says that it is legal. [quote]Yes, I hate all large corporations. That's why I'm constantly attacking Google and other tech giants. Oh wait, no I'm not. Because Google isn't despicable.[/QUOTE] Except many of its business practices emulates Monsanto. Monopolistic behaviour for one.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40794364] Except many of its business practices emulates Monsanto. Monopolistic behaviour for one.[/QUOTE] Except iPhones don't get replaced with Android phones by being surrounded by them, and even if they did Google wouldn't be able to sue you for not destroying it
[QUOTE=Zeke129;40794398]Except iPhones don't get replaced with Android phones by being surrounded by them, and even if they did Google wouldn't be able to sue you for not destroying it[/QUOTE] Google is undergoing an anti-trust investigation at the moment, has been tax-avoidant, enforces real name policy on accounts (I would have thought people would go apeshit over this), and forced Acer to cancel an announcement of an Aliyun OS powered smartphone.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40794468]Google is undergoing an anti-trust investigation at the moment, has been tax-avoidant, enforces real name policy on accounts (I would have thought people would go apeshit over this), and forced Acer to cancel an announcement of an Aliyun OS powered smartphone.[/QUOTE] in defending your point, it almost looks like you're making all corporations look bad.
Corporations don't have an unblemished record, but to claim they hold an unethical monopoly on food production or don't test their food is bollocks.
[QUOTE=Marik Bentusi;40787900]German news has soccer, soccer, soccer, but I've yet to hear about this. How fucking sad is it that I get this kinda news via Facepunch of all places?[/QUOTE] It's sad enough that i only learned about the death of one of my favorite guitarists on FP, 3 days after it happened, because the news didn't report on it worth a fuck, yet Michael Jackson's death still comes up from time to time. The mainstream news channels are only keen on reporting what is profitable, and it happens that not reporting on this protesting is more profitable than reporting on it.
[QUOTE=zombini;40794593]It's sad enough that i only learned about the death of one of my favorite guitarists on FP, 3 days after it happened, because the news didn't report on it worth a fuck, yet Michael Jackson's death still comes up from time to time. The mainstream news channels are only keen on reporting what is profitable, and it happens that not reporting on this protesting is more profitable than reporting on it.[/QUOTE] Well, it's not like we're free of guilt. The reason they report the way they do, is because people only want to hear that news. People won't bother reading about a country introducing a new tax policy, but if its an article about Microsoft making a new games console, people will flock to hear about it.
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