18 March 2010

Jake.

On the third floor of a secondary school, somewhere in North London, an 11 year old student and a teacher engage in conversation while designing a chocolate bar and it's wrapping:

Him: These people sir, with their organic foods, they're crazy!

Me: Crazy?

Him: Yes! There is no such thing as organic, I wish they would do the science on the situation.

Me: (smiling on the inside) Come on Jake. Such a bold statement warrants explanation.

Him: Ok, well in Science class, our teacher was talking about pesticides...
Me...yes...

Him:...well basically, they are necessary.

Me: (the cynic in me is now smiling) How did you come to that conclusion?

Him: Well, without pesticides, half the world would be dead due to food poisoning. Pesticides allow us to grow food without having to worry about infections or diseases. If we followed the organic regime and let nature take it's course, many crops would be poisoned.

Me: I agree. 

HIm: You do?!

Me: Yes. It's the same thing with GM food.

Him: YES SIR!!

Me: I mean, we all say it's bad, a failing of the modern world, when really, GM foods are the only way to ensure that everybody eats. If it were left to nature and the Organic Parade, most of us would die of scurvy or worse. A GM meal may be the only meal available to some, so who are we to knock it?

Him: I totally agree Sir. I wish people read more Science.

Me: Stay curious Jake, the world needs inquisitive minds.

1 comment:

  1. I love this snippet of conversation

    I hope his inquisitiveness continues to be nurtured & supported.

    ReplyDelete