Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[biobee]

Twenty-two pieces of junk science from the Lynas Manifesto

Dr Brian John Past Lecturer in Geography, University of Durham 6th January 2013
http://www.marklynas.org/2013/01/lecture-to-oxford-farming-conference-3-january-2013/

In a high-profile lecture to the recent Oxford Farming Conference, self-proclaimed neo-scientist Mark Lynas launched a vicious polemic, aimed at the organic farming movement and at those who oppose GM crops and foods and the activities of the GM multinationals. The speech was linked in to a highly orchestrated pro-GM publicity campaign. The press loved it -- and Lynas was pretty pleased with it himself, pushing the text of his speech out in all directions and twittering happily about its impact on the global stage...... which included 30,000 hits on his web site. The theme which the press picked up on was of course that of the ex-GM crop trasher who has now put emotion and prejudice to one side and who has become instead a science junkie. Others might see the conversion of a naive individual from one religion to another.........

[stevecook172001]

Nobs like this used to wind me up mightily. However, I have now come to the sad acceptance that the human response to the need to change our ways will be a mixture of ignorance, denial, ridicule and aggression. Only when we hit the wall head-on, will many of us finally accept that our collective behaviour is utterly unsustainable. So, for me, the sooner we get ecological collapse in earnest and a significant die-back of human industrial civilisation, the better. That way the damage will be less than it might be if the collapse is dragged out over a couple of centuries. Don't misunderstand me, I don't want such a collapse. It just seems that it's inevitable due to humanity's incapacity to check itself and so the sooner we get it over with the better for all of life. On a personal level, I do what I can, and then try to get on with my life.


.....Of course, all of the above zen-type acceptance is thrown out of the window occasionally and I go on a blind rant of despair.

I just thought I'd mention that as a qualifier for future reference Phil......