Corn is regarded as one of the earliest human innovations. It was over first domesticated over ten thousand years ago when man first learned to cross-pollinate plants. However, with the changes in technology, man’s desire for corn keeps increasing, which resulted in constant breeding of corn to satisfy global demand. Some farmers have retained the traditional methods of breeding corn to fulfill their requirements. Michael Pollan, in his book The Botany of Desire, discusses the relationship between humans and the world of plants. Specifically, he focuses on the explorations of corn by humans.
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In the book, Pollan looks at how corn has evolved over the years to satisfy all our yearnings.
In his book, Michael looks at the inherent risks that human beings are likely to suffer in the domain of agricultural world. He looks at the dangers of monoculture as a common farming practice among humans. Monoculture is the practice of cultivating a single crop or a variety of plants that are of the same type. Though monoculture is associated with various economic advantages, Pollan sees it as an environmental risk. According to Pollan, we ought to practice biodiversity. By growing different varieties of crops, farmers are likely to improve the security of their produce. In case one of the crops fails, the other crops can act as substitutes.
This essay focuses on the dietary and eating habits of human beings and how corn remains to be most important food to a large population. According to Pollan, human life is highly dependent on corn. He notes that there is a lack of food tradition in America, and the older traditions of food define the American society. Thus, it is not unusual for corn to constitute a high percentage of the America diet. According to Pollan, the food industry in America is solely focused on the growth and processing of corn. It is believed that this practice is likely to increase the profits; however, it comes at the expense of health and well-being of the people. Mostly, the insatiable desire for corn is what diverts the industry’s focus towards corn while neglecting other crops.
Corn remains a dominant plant in our culture. With an increased demand to feed the growing population, maize remains the crop of focus for many countries. As a result, man’s desire for corn has grown over the years. In a bid to show how corn has dominated the human lives and culture, Pollan gives the example of chicken nuggets. He avers that chicken nuggets consist of piles upon piles of corn, which indicates the importance of crop in human life. Further, he argues that no other plant can surpass the dominance of corn. Over forty-five thousand items that are found in American supermarkets contain corn. Moreover, even animals in America feed on meals made using corn.
Due to the influence of corn on human life, several manipulations were done on the crop. The industrial production of corn to meet the increasing demands has destroyed farms. The overdependence and concentration on growing corn have constantly ruined several farms as soils became overused due to the lack of crop rotation, which resulted in the decline of corn yields due to the poor farming methods. However, various inventions were made to improve the yields of corn. Over the years, scientists have devised ways of breeding corn and modify it genetically to improve its yields. The manipulation of corn has made the produced resistant to various diseases.
Various experiences drove Pollan’s research. Before gathering information, Pollan had witnessed the poor dietary and agricultural practices in American society. While collecting the study materials, Pollan had to make a comparison between the eating habits of the Americans and history in their diets. Similarly, the author actively searched information on the influence of corn on human life. Pollan, therefore, looked into the importance of corn in the supermarkets and big eating joints in American society that established its dominance. Also, his experience of the existence of corn in the chicken nuggets was a platform for the research in determining whether corn is a dominant crop in the human space.
As a student, my personal history and connection with corn are just like that of Pollen. In my entire life, corn has been the dominant crop. Every meal that I have contains element of corn in it. For instance, I have a habit of eating at McDonald’s restaurants. Initially, I did not understand what the components of my food were; however, after reading about the ingredients I found out that most of the products sold by McDonald’s restaurants consisted of corn. On the other hand, I realized that even the items found in the supermarkets that I bought on a daily basis comprised of corn. My connection with corn seems to have started long before I even realized it. Additionally, I found out that even the poultry food consists of corn.
In his book, Pollan notes that his connection with corn started in his youth. He notes that after its domestication, maize became the dominant crop in American society. According to Pollan, corn occupies one of the most significant positions of the American diet. His book talks about the cultivation of corn and how it ends up for consumption. While visiting the Iowa corn farm, Pollan noted that the government of the United States played an essential role in promoting the growth of corn among the farmers. The government had offered subsidies for farmers in a bid to increase the production of corn. Pollan agrees that corn was the preferred crop due to its ability to respond to fertilizers. Despite advocating for the growth of corn, Pollan had a challenging encounter with the corn crop. Pollan accuses corn of wreaking mayhem not only on the general health but also on the foreign policy of countries that cultivate it. According to him, corn affects the foreign policy due to its overproduction. Producing corn in large quantity is likely to make the prices of commodities cheaper. Corn can be used in making corn sweeteners that are likely to affect the prices of other products.
Excessive consumption of corn is a result of certain illnesses, such as obesity. Though America has always had a culture of maintaining a diet full of carbohydrates, Pollan has a different opinion. He believes that the food of a nation should not be dictated by past eating habits, but should instead depend on the changes that occur daily. According to Pollan, the choice of meals consumed should be every individual’s option. For instance, he goes against the conventional diet and selects his diet comprising of mushrooms and wild boar meat, which is contrary to the societal expectations. The question that Pollan poses is whether there is a possibility of improving food production in America.
In conclusion, the book by Michael Pollan, The Botany of Desire, accurately describes the relation of humans with specific plants. In the book, Pollan looks at the influence that these crops can have on human nature. He explores the relationship between humans and the world of plants. Specifically, he focuses on the explorations of corn by humans. In the book, Pollan looks at how corn has evolved over the years to satisfy all our yearnings. In this essay, I have focused on how corn can create specific desires among humans. Equally, the composition also looks at the changes and engineering modifications that have been done on the crop. By growing different varieties of crops, farmers are likely to improve the security of their produce. In case one of the crops fails, the other crops can act as substitutes. Over forty-five thousand items that are found in American supermarkets contain corn. Moreover, even animals in America feed on meals made using corn. It is therefore prudent to say that corn is the crop king not only in America but across the globe. However, various health effects, such as diabetes, are associated with corn. Nonetheless, more studies are required to provide more insight into the effects of corn on human desire. The write-up is essential since it lays the basis for more studies on matters affecting the American diet requirements, and more specifically corn. The evaluation regarding the importance of corn to the American society can provide insight to other research efforts.
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