The Biotech Century: Harnessing the Gene and Remaking the World

By Jeremy Rifkin

Book Overview

In this seminal book, Jeremy Rifkin explores the epic marriage between computer technology and genetic engineering, and the historic transition into the Age of Biotechnology. Already, Rifkin explains, our economy is undergoing a massive shift away from the Industrial Age and into an era in which giant life-science corporations are fashioning a bioindustrial world.Humanity is on the brink of wielding greater control over the shape of life--how we are born; how our food supply is created; the traits our children may have--than has ever been imagined. But with each step into this new era, we must ask ourselves: At what cost?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0874779537
• ISBN13: 9780874779530
• Release Date: April 1999
• Publisher: Tarcher
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Our stolen future

Adam Smith warned us that we didn't had to rely on the goodwill of the baker or the butcher to supply our meals. Following Smith, we should only rely on the care they take to fulfil their own interests. We shouldn't address their humanity, only their egoism. We shouldn't talk to them on our needs, but only of their advantage. Now, I think Smith really had bad luck with his baker or butcher. But I suppose that even he would be flabbergasted at all the inventiveness capitalism has put into lowering the standards of our food, especially since 1940 - when agriculture became chemically fertilized and pesticides were introduced - with the sole objective to obtain more and more profits. We know corporations have no soul, but I do wonder how the CEO's of those big corporations are able to sleep at night, when they knowingly are poisoning our food chain. Do they really think that money is more important than the future of mankind ? Even if they don't care what the future of mankind will behold, what about their own children and grandchildren ? Now, as if we hadn't poisoned our food chain enough with chemicals, agricorporations launched genetically modified foods. That is what this book is about, and as always, Jeremy Rifkin offers us a fluently written book, with some very good arguments. He wonders in the first place how it even became possible to obtain a patent on a living organism. That is where the corruption began. How can you patent something when you only modify a very small part of the genetic structure ? Furthermore, no studies were undertaken on the dangers of introducing all those newly modified genes into the environment. Rifkin warns us that we are "on the eve of a new Genesis". Genes of humans, animals and plants are interchanged "as if" it were "natural". Finally, we have no idea if those foods are dangerous for consumption, since the FDA considers those foods as GRAS ("generally regarded as safe"), because... they are "similar" to normal tomatoes, potatoes, corn, canola, soya, etc... That's strange, isn't it ? On the one hand, genetically modified foods are "patented because they are different", and on the other hand, they are "safe because they are equal". Welcome to the fake democracy we are living in, defending only the interests of big corporations, but never of the general public (well, let's say, never again since the government fired Dr. Harvey Wiley in 1912, the last director of the FDA who really tried to put the general interest before private interests) ! What do we really know on the safety of this Frankenstein-food for consumption ? Dr. Arpad Pusztai discovered that Monsanto-potatoes produced deformations when fed to rats. It really produces a bunch of little Frankenstein's... His reward ? He got fired, under pressure of Monsanto. Rifkin observes that insurance companies will never insure this kind of technology, since the risks are impossible to foresee. That's also why insurance companies will nev

O brave new world are you going to kill our humanity?

This book surveys the latest developments in biotechnology, and suggests future directions, trends and developments. While not downplaying the many positive benefits which can come to society from the new developments Rifkin's real task here is to warn of possible dangers. These dangers are various, though one clear point of emphasis is his fear that commercial forces will monopolize important technologies discriminating against poorer populations, and ascerbating current inequalities in society. Among the developments the book suggests may take place are:" Food and fiber may be grown indoors in giant bacteria baths, partially eliminating the farmer and the soil for the first time in history. Animal and human cloning could be commmonplace with ' replication' increasingly replacing ' reproduction'.Millions of people could obtain a genetic readout of themselves , allowing them to gaze into their own biological futures and plan their lives in ways never before possible . Parents may choose to have their parents gestated in artificial wombs outside the human body. Genetic changes could made in human fetuses to correct deadly diseases and disorders and enhance mood, behavior, intelligence, physical traits." Rifkin is concerned about the consequences of such developments for the global economy and society' He is worried about the kinds of utopian efforts which might come from trying to create perfect human beings. And above all he seems disturbed on the way the 'genetic information' will be owned. This book raises very great questions, questions which will be more and more relevant in the years to come. It provides a great deal of thought and insight about these questions. And is certainly a valuable help in giving each one of some better sense of how we can understand the brave new world which is to come.

Raises Awareness

I agree that this book is not perfect, nor the author the most appropriate person to write it, but what's a hell! You can find errata in almost every book! At least he cares and has the courage to write this book.Jeremy Rifkin is very well informed and what really matters here is that this book is an excellent source of information to raise awareness of what is going on in this field, about the irresponsible work that is been conducted by big corporations playing with genes and doing dangerous things that can affect the present and future life in our little world. Rifkin also outlines that everyone has to be responsible for his own actions.I have read also his other book "Beyond Beef: The Rise and Fall of the Cattle Culture" (5 Stars)

Excellent book, readable and timely

Dr. Rifkin and I were simultaneously interviewed on WICR FM in Indianapolis on November 19, 1998. (My book, Mobius, discusses the evolution of life and of humanity, and the host of the show thought there was much common ground with The Biotech Century.) Thus, I have had the benefit of reading The Biotech Century, as well as the opportunity of speaking with the author at length about it. I do not agree with all of Dr. Rifkin's points. If I happened to have an untreatable genetic disease, I personally would not wish to see laws enacted which would restrict my access to a cure that involved permanently changing my genetic structure. If my children could be born without the disease, so much the better, in my humble view. But I still give Rifkin five stars for The Biotech Century.Rifkin has been labeled as an alarmist, and I disagree. The corporate spin doctors have conditioned all of us to believe that there is little or no risk to splitting the gene and tampering with the code of life. Rifkin lets us know of some of the hazards, and he does so with brilliance. Richard R. Hofstetter, lawyer, author of Mobius (1998).

A thought-provoking look at our future.

Jeremy Rifkin has written a well-informed and provocative book. As a practising molecular biologist I consider that frequently his criticisms if not his predictions err on the side of caution. Perhaps he felt the need to restrain himself in the light of previous criticism of his hyperbole. Nevertheless, he was proven right in the past and I am sure for the most part he will be again. In his struggle for balance he frequently lets the biotech industry and its regulators off the hook, especially in the field of agricultural biotechnology, a subject that scares me to death. The writing style is a little irritating but the book is a must-read. Everyone should know what is in store for their children.