The Botany of Desire
Exquisite PBS special on the mutualism between mankind and the plants we consume. And I’m sure the book is equally good. I became a fan of Michael Pollan a few years back after reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma. He’s an excellent journalist. And he speaks to such a fundamental question: human sustenance. I recommend everyone watch it. Here, I’ll make it easy:
If you don’t have two hours to spare, that’s ok. Just watch thirty minutes. Pick your favorite plant: apples, cannabis, tulips, potatoes. Don’t be shy. The film is information-rich and approachable, and some of the shots are just spectacular (especially in the tulip segment).
I just have one large nit to pick:
The takeaway message here seems to be: embrace biodiversity.
And yet, in the final section, the film casts genetically modified crops (read: potatoes) in a very critical light. I agree, the Monsanto corporation has done some questionable things over the past few decades. We’ve all seen Food, Inc. right? Soybeans anyone? And I’m sure that genetically modifying the food we consume willy-nilly could bring about some devastating consequences.
But the whole premise of genetic engineering is to increase diversity. You’re taking DNA from another creature altogether and seeing what good it could do in a new context. Sure, this goes beyond the natural scope of the plant’s evolution, but so what? Evolution is rooted in experimentation. In mutation. Trod carefully, sure. But by all means, trod. Bring on the diversity.
