Genetically Modified Organism: A Rhetorical Analysis

For years, there has been a serious debate regarding whether genetically modified foods are safe for consumption. Due to this seemingly everlasting controversy came the rise of pro-GMO and anti-GMO groups. To truly understand the severity of the issue, it is important to first understand what exactly a “GMO” is and why it supposedly poses a threat to civilization. A Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) is an organism in which “genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially placed into another plant or animal” (Institute for Responsible Technology). Doing so allows for a crop to grow at a higher yield and lower cost. But, critics argue that doing so is not natural and will cause problems for society. The incessant propaganda …show more content…
Saletan explains that people just jump on the anti-GMO bandwagon but don’t know how to explain why they are “bad.” Saletan uses rhetorical devices throughout his article to cover each aspect of persuasion to convert the critics into believers. He appeals to the emotion of the audience by showing the foolishness and barbaric actions of society. This allows some of the emotionally driven critics to see the emotional aspect of the pro-GMO side. Saletan establishes his ethos not only through his accolades, but also through his citations of evidence and acknowledgement of the opposition. This way, readers will know that Saletan has published activism works in the past, and he is not some random person ranting on anti-GMO groups. The meat of Saletan’s argument comes from his use of logic based on the three famous GMO crops: Hawaiian Papaya, Bt Crops, and Golden Rice. These experiments establish scientific evidence and Saletan’s reasoning behind them gives critics a reason to reconsider their motives. The culmination of all of these rhetorical devices allows Saletan to persuade certain critics to see the “skin beneath the