Serendip is an independent site partnering with faculty at multiple colleges and universities around the world. Happy exploring!

Reply to comment

Eliza Brennan-Pratt's picture

Human Nature changes under pressure

I believe that it’s possible to change human nature, just as it’s possible to change someone’s mind. However, a change of such large proportions can only occur when humans are faced with a dire problem. The most obvious example comes from the article “Can people have meat and a planet too?” Right now, the idea of meat created in a petri dish utterly disgusts me and I’m probably not the only one in American society who feels this way. Eating meat is ingrained in the age-old practices of man. If most Americans are accustomed to eating meat that comes from an animal, why would he or she spontaneously decide to pick up that cultured meat from the deli section? Also, if people are eating meat in the first place, they have probably overcome the moral implications of their eating habits and are more in tune with enjoying it. As a result, the trip to the grocery store is a habitual, routine act that also provides a strong connection with human history.

As we read, world population will reach a whopping 9 billion by 2050. With such a massive increase in population, the water, food, space, etc. available to each person will be much less. In general, humans want choices and options without much inconvenience. On the other hand, when humans are faced head-on with the hardships of a skyrocketing population, they are bound to change. By buying cultured meat for the first time, the person may feel thrust into a foreign environment, but that definitely beats the grim picture of our planet if sustainable practices and technological solutions are not implemented.

Reply

To prevent automated spam submissions leave this field empty.
10 + 1 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.