Something Vs. Another

The novel by entitled Artist of the Floating World by Robert Burton weaves together many interesting thoughts and theories throughout his textual analysis of worldly literature and many life experiences. One of his main ideas is that a person in the modern world we all live in, may floating through it, merely existing in it or on the other hand, creating the world they live in. The idea of opposition is brought up by Burton and through out the outline of his analysis he refers to this idea as “versing” it has brought me to an interesting idea and “versus” in my everyday life.


After reading the last chapter of the book his ideas of “us” versus “them” etc… relates very well to the global issues tackled in the book and a class that I am currently taking at Chico State University. The class is Plant Science: Food Forever, in it many classic agricultural stances have been brought up, no doubt ending in some kind of "versus" match up. The teacher mainly takes the stance as an old Butte County farmer who no doubt has lived with both the hardships and benefits that coincide with making a living off the land. His views are mostly "versus" the almost overwhelmingly young, urban, non agricultural background, Chico State student engulfed in the idea of buzzwords like “sustainability” and “organic.”


In this relationship of teacher vs. students I find myself somewhere in between the two opposing views. I have still been unable to come to grips with the ideas and issues pertaining to agriculture in establishing a personal ideology in regards to a personal and global stance. The reason that I find two items like “personal” and “global” intertwined is through my ever-growing realization that the world is being continuously involved in a galvanizing event Burton reefers to as “interconnectedness.” Never before have I realized that what I do relates to someone thousands of miles away nor I have every thought about my ability to concern or even hear the voice of somebody vastly different than me oceans away.


In regards to agricultural decision, ideas like “organic vs. non organic,” “local vs. non local” are weighing heavy on my conscience right now. Take for instance the idea of buying only organic crops. When the very reputable, nationally renowned, yet local (Richvale) Lundberg Farms representative came into our class for a discussion. I left with the notion that yes, growing organically helps the environment immensely, however, it is a niche market. It appears to me that organic farming is not a viable solution to feeding the many mouths around the world, I have no comprehension of how many mouths there are to feed however, with the hit and miss, relatively small crop outputs of organic farming it seems to me that organic farm practices will have a hard time feeding the world.


I am left questioning, am I the type of person, who in regards to the rest of the world, is well off enough to put my personal money into an industry that does not feed the world or should I support large farms dedicated to serving the world. Is my money worth a simple word (organic) or a self-gratifying pat on my own back? I think that in time I will be able to make a more informed life long answer to this question pitting the “me” in this vast world and my effects on it.