RE: Long Live the Mosquito: Cautioning Against Deliberate Extinctions
What many do not appreciate is that mosquitoes in the tropics, where we have vast latifundiae of cocoa trees, mosquitoes are the only vehicle for fertilization of this specialized plant. The complexity of the cocoa fertilization process requires mosquitoes, as no other insect species is capable of navigating the cocoa flowers. Should we rid ourselves of mosquitoes, we will have essentially caused extinction of the cocoa trees and the economic collapse of tropical polities that depend on cocoa production.
This flippant call for intentional extinction of an entire species without even a cursory understanding of human sociopolitical consequence, nevermind the far reaching ecologic catastrophe, is a classic illustration of man's hubris in deluding himself as some claygod who can "improve" on nature, universe, creation, and God.
I never knew that about cocoa! That's another (extremely) good reason.
Really, hubris is our middle name. Also, claygod- I like that.
So it's either chocolate + mosquitoes, or no chocolate?! 😲
Yes. For man to have the pleasure of partaking in cocoa products, he must be willing to experience some inconveniences. While the diseases spread by the mosquitoes are indeed harmful and deadly, the hubris that man will devastate his environment for a little comfort is far more damaging to the entirety of creation. Should man decide to shake his little fists at the universe in petulance, the universe may give him such a bite that he wished he never took his hands out of his pocket.