Devils advocate? Really? I doubt any of us truly know the accurate history of past GMO crops. What I was saying is that is I'm not against future GMO ventures as long as it's carried out in a transparent and thoroughly tested and proven to be safe as possible before release. I'd be lying if I said GMO didn't scare me too, but the fact is it will be a part of our future whether we like it or not so rather than run around calling conspiracy we should probably be calling for the safest possible policies to control GMO production and adoption of transparency and education.
There are some genuinely good people out there working on GMO crops that truly believe they can help feed the world with highly productive, nutritious and resistant crops. Whether or not this is a safe or appropriate way to to go about feeding our ever increasing population I don't know, only time will tell.
Solid7 I applaud you for living and encouraging a healthy lifestyle and it is my opinion that if everybody did so than we wouldn't be using half the medications and have nearly the public health issues as we have now (antibiotic resistance, obesity and cancer for example). Unfortunately though for every one of us that tries to live a healthy lifestyle there are ten others that simply don't care. My second job is in a drive through liquor shop and it disgusts me to see dozens of cars drive through every night with parents smoking in the car with their baby's and children also in the car. I mean it's crazy.. with all the proof that smoking cigarettes contributes to so many health problems we still have parents subjecting their children to that in a confined space. And the parents would argue 'it's my choice to smoke if I wish' but to me that's rubbish. A baby doesn't have a choice you are forcing them to breath smoke and just because you have that child does not give you the right to choose for it breath in shitty toxic chemicals.
That brings me to vaccinations, I understand many viruses that can be vaccinated can also be treated in other ways and healthy people can overcome some if not most viruses. My concern lies not with my own health (I personally don't like to take medication, a have an immune system for a reason) but with the vulnerable such as infants and the elderly. In Australia hooping cough was nearly eradicated, until anti vaccine groups started popping up refused vaccination for their children. Sure enough hooping cough made a return and killed again.
My point is that whilst you have the right to refuse vaccination, and you may well have great genetics and health, you are also making a choice for others. I took the influenza vaccine this year for the first time - not for myself but so that I could help prevent spreading it to the vulnerable.