ONE – Eating to Extinction. https://theworld.org/stories/2022-02-04/eating-extinction-author-rallies-more-diverse-global-food-system

It is counterintuitive that globalization of food products, a practice that connects humanity and its goods in order to create more diverse options for our diets is simultaneously destroying nature’s environmental diversity. Through globalization, it has become possible to purchase oranges in Alaska, for example, a place where it is impossible to grow such a plant. Advanced transportation systems such as cargo ships and air travel have made such a feat possible.

While this may seem great on the surface, it has extreme consequences. Oranges are very diverse in Florida. There are different types varying in sweetness, size, et cetera. The issue here is that some species of oranges stay fresh longer than others. In order to stay competitive in the globalized market, and sell to buyers far away, it is only profitable to grow a specific kind of orange that will stay fresh long enough to make it to shelves in Alaska. Why grow all of these types of oranges if you can only profit off of one kind? This question has been raised in all different types of farming, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and more. And the answer is the same in pretty much every single one: You don’t.

The irony in this is that to create diversity in our diets, we have destroyed the diversity in the environment. It is very rare to find a specific type of orange, because almost all crop farmers have switched to the version that will sell in the global market. This cycle has unfortunately resulted in extinctions of many different varieties in plants, because there is no need to grow them anymore.

TWO – The Depository of Unwanted Photos https://prisonphotography.org/2019/04/22/the-depository-of-unwanted-photographs-on-show-at-artyard-frenchtown-new-jersey/

It seems counterintuitive that photographs that are no longer wanted are put on display. Anyone could submit an image they deemed embarrassing, painful, irrelevant, or incriminating. It would then be put on display in an exhibit.

These pictures all have some sort of past negative memory attached to them. One was of the Boston Marathon winners, but was overshadowed by the massacre that took place. Another was a photo of a boyfriend and girlfriend without any clothing. They were no longer together when the photo was submitted. These negative memories would warrant something such as boxing them away or destroying them. Instead, they are put on display.

Exhibits and books were created compiling these works, putting these unpleasant memories out for the world to see. Whenever a submitter looks at these compilations, they will be reminded of this past event. Once these “unwanted” photos are submitted and put on display, they have become wanted again by the new viewing audience. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

THREE – From Bookworm to Bombmaker https://theworld.org/stories/2022-02-04/bookworm-bomb-maker-evolution-myanmar-revolutionary

It seems counterintuitive that life skills learned innocently can be used so drastically. Ah Too, a Myanmar Revolutionary, was angry that protestors of the harsh regime in place in Myanmar were being brutally arrested and murdered. He joined revolutionary guerrilla forces in the jungle. Before he became what he was, he was an engineer studying so that one day he could live abroad.

He had previously had a love for building things, which sparked him to become an engineer. After he had witness the political events unfold in Myanmar, he decided something must be done. Contrary to the innocent expectation of becoming an engineer, he started to build bombs to fight against his oppressors. Skills previously taught to him for previously innocent reasons had been morphed into something much greater: to destroy. Different situations have the ability to drastically change the use of something or someone’s ability, as can be seen here. Ah Too’s love to create has become a tool destroy.