GMO

Posted on November 3, 2013

Categories: Episode Archive

Sam asks Dan Lombardo and Amber Sherwood about the science behind GMOs and the (anti-science) social movement behind getting them labeled and eventually eliminated. There are many show notes.

We have one clarification/correction from listener Kristi: According to this Slate article, the Golden Rice field was destroyed by protesters, while the farmers looked on. Corrections are welcome and will appear here, as long as they are sourced.

Sources for Today’s Episode

About the Author: Sam Mulvey

Sam Mulvey is a producer and the technical brain behind Ask an Atheist. He is a collector of vinegar varieties, vintage computers, antique radios, and propaganda.

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Francois Tremblay

11 years ago

Thank you for making this show. Your arrogant attitude reminded me why I am not and will never be a skeptic.

Sam Mulvey

Author

Reply to Francois Tremblay

“I don’t like you so I’m going to make myself easier to con.”

Reply to Sam Mulvey

What, do you seriously believe that only skeptics can recognize charlatans? Do you never, you know, talk to people who are not like you?

Do you know what “skeptic” means?

We can argue fine details about the skeptic movement all you want, but what does that have to do with the fact that most people outside of it still reject claims they think are silly?

In general, I would say a skeptic is a person who uses science and “rational” argumentation as their measure of justification for a claim, and who follows the principle that “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”

Mike Gillis

Admin

Yeah. Why have good reasons for the things we believe? That shit is for the birds!

Reply to Mike Gillis

Mike, that actually seems to be your attitude about GMOs, because your show was abysmally irrational. My wife and I were laughing and goggling through the whole thing.

What was the point of that whole long diatribe against organic foods? I happen to agree with every argument you guys made against the organic foods industry- but what in the hell does that have to do with GMOs or 522?? And eugenics… seriously?

I’m not noticing a single refutation of the actual scientific evidence that’s being provided, and you’re clearly intentionally misunderstanding my point about organic foods (hint: the problem isn’t organic food).

If you have a problem with the information provided, make specific claims.

Essentially: shit or get off the pot, you’re getting boring.

What “information” did you provide on the show that had to do with GMOs? You provided a lot of misdirections (the organic food industry is bad! – yes, I agree, so what?), straw men of opposing positions (hippies!!! hippies everywhere!! EVERYONE WHO DISAGREES IS A HIPPIE!), absolute crackpot bullshit (the only alternative to GMOs is eugenics!) and hand-waving (GMOs are great and will save the world! never mind the patents and lawsuits, widespread contamination of GMO crops, the danger of GMO monocultures, etc). Can you give me one item of actual “information” that came out of your amazingly stupid and… Read more »

“shit or get off the pot”

You are absolutely full of shit, so I guess you would know! Too bad you guys can’t “shit” a rational argument despite straining on the toilet for a whole hour!

There are sources for things that were said. You’re either a troll, or (more likely) you’ve just got your head so far up your ass you can’t smell anything that doesn’t have a thin film of your own shit over it. Done.

BTW, about your remark at the end: you seriously believe that the only alternative to Monsanto taking over our food supply is eugenics? You people are absolutely mental.

If I was legal to vote (I am not American), I would vote for 522 just on the basis of your absolutely irrational nonsense.