While reading Heart of Darkness, I couldn’t help but create the modern-day parallel in my head of a giant corporation like Monsanto, and its impact on America's population. It’s alarming to consider the possibility that majority of people are unaware of exactly where their food comes from.
The evil and unknown power that Monsanto holds over our food industry can easily parallel the colonialism expressed in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.
One could only hope that everyone (by this point) has at least heard of the American multinational agro-chemical and agricultural-biotechnology corporation, Monsanto.
Monsanto has managed to squeeze out conventional farmers (those not using transgenic seeds) and taking away their opportunity to viably participate and compete in the market. By exploiting their patent on transgenic corn, cotton and soybean, Monsanto asserts an insidious control of those agricultural industries in the US.
While one can go on and on..and on about Monsanto’s monopolizing effect, abuse of patents, and all of their corrupt corporate ways--the point is why this can be seen as a modern heart of darkness.
Monsanto, and companies alike, use the presence of vibrant, lush, almost too perfect produce to distract its consumers from the darkness in which the company operates. Few know of the manipulated farmers bound in the corrupt contracts of Monsanto. Few know of the harmful chemicals sprayed across crops and workers in order to make sure the American people have the ripest reddest tomatoes. Few know that the leaves under the “fresh” salad they are eating, are really formed in laboratory test tubes.
Majority of the population is oblivious to the darkness at the center of this mass operation. Not until consumers read up on the newest headlines or see the most recent documentary on the subject, do they begin to understand the heavy hand that companies like Monsanto play into the manipulation of American Consumers.
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