Customer Reviews

Donna Haraway and Genetically Modified Foods (Postmodern Encounters)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Another interesting "postmodern encounter" between feminist philosopher Donna Haraway and GM (genetically modified) foodstuffs. Myerson presents key ideas from Haraway's book Modest_Witness@Second_Millennium. Myerson nicely encapsulates Haraway's perspective(s) while doing some philosophizin' of his own. Are we to trust Myerson's take on Haraway? Myerson recommends that the reader experience Haraway's text firsthand. I like how this book questions the knee-jerk "GM foods are bad; GM foods must be stopped" campaign and ambiguously embraces the hybrid nature of GM foods. Myerson does a good job (via Haraway) placing the debate in a larger, more philosophic, context. As with other Myersonian postmodern encounters, there is plenty of insight here, age-old philosophy colliding with current events and pop culture. A timely and provocative essay; not without its flaws (it reads almost like a sophisticated book review or a decent grad student thesis) but worthwhile. It'd be nice if more people on the frontlines of the GM debate would read this (and Haraway's book). It perhaps skims over the dangers of GM foods a little (allergies, long-term effects, lawsuits, corporate food monopolies, etc), but does so because it is defending GM foods and personifying them in the process with compassion and intelligence.