Botany of Desire Essay

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Catastrophe from Human Manipulation in Plants It has always been taught that plants are living organisms; plants are made up of cells, they need nutrients, they reproduce, they grow and they die. Therefore, is it justified to assign personifying characteristics and stigmas to these sedentary organisms, such as being “evil”, “deceptive” and even “tempting?” Plants have experienced several cycles of praise and glory, as well as hatred and disgust, from the humans that use them. The documentary Botany of Desire describes how plants “use” animals to help them attain their ultimate goal of reproduction by sweetness, beauty, control and intoxication. However, human desire to commercialize particular plants has led to some of the world’s most catastrophic historical events, including Prohibition in the United States, Tulipomania in the Dutch Golden Age, and The Great Famine in Ireland. As a result of these events, the prized plants were destroyed by the humans that modified them. Human idealization and manipulation of plants, through monocultures and domestication, has led to our own disappointment and hate for these inanimate beings. The apple has always been a staple in the American diet and culture. It’s familiarity and importance is evidenced in such well-know phrases as, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Grade-school children are taught the legend of “Johnny Appleseed” and the importance of growing apples. The legend of Johnny Appleseed is tied intimately with the domestication of America; a barefoot, rugged gentleman who helped to tame the wilderness by planting apple orchards. The popular image is of Johnny Appleseed spreading apple seeds randomly, everywhere he went. The real Johnny Appleseed, John Chapman, was actually a clever business man. When he was young, Chapman's father apprenticed him to a local orchard, which is where he learned all about apples.

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