Darwin. The evolution of species.
Why do birds gradually develop beaks better suited for insects than flowers? Because they're on an island with few flowers and many insects, and the species adapts to survive. Easy, right?
Same thing with bacteria.
Bayonets and evolution
We have weapons to destroy them: antibiotics. Unfortunately, we haven't been good at discovering new ones for a while, so we're somewhat stuck with bayonets.
And we keep fighting with bayonets in farms, otherwise livestock die en masse since they're packed together. But bacteria work like every other species: they evolve. In fact, they evolve at light speed compared to other species. They even exchange genetic material with each other — their evolution happens within a single bacterium's lifetime.
Stab with the bayonet today, stab tomorrow: bacteria stop being killed. They've developed armor that makes the bayonet useless. And we haven't developed a more powerful weapon.
From barns to hospitals
These bayonet-mocking bacteria gradually escape from farms. They reach our kitchens, our guts, the soil, and inevitably hospitals, where every pathogen eventually converges.
Already today, hundreds of thousands of people in Europe die from these antibiotic-immune bacteria. My grandmother died from this, which is ridiculous and monstrous in its macabre irony given my years of advocacy on this topic. By 2050, there will be 10 million deaths worldwide according to the WHO.
Three myths to bust
Myth 1: "Farm bacteria aren't human bacteria." I don't know why this naive idea persists. Literature has repeatedly clarified that bacteria don't prioritize staying confined to specific locations or species. Antibiotic resistance in human bacteria absolutely develops in farms.
Myth 2: "Grandma taking antibiotics for the flu is the real problem." Grandma doesn't help, but let's get real. In Europe, 70% of antibiotics are dumped into farms for prophylaxis; in the US, 80%. That's where resistance develops. Humans at least tend to complete their courses, increasing the likelihood of killing resistant bacteria. Chickens, I'm told, don't share this concern.
Myth 3: "The problem isn't meat but factory farming." How sweet. In their magical world, you can produce meat for everyone to eat multiple times a week without factory farming. Magic! As long as people eat meat more than 2-3 times a month, factory farming is required. Period. Basic math.
The responsibility is ours
If you're fine with a world where enemies can kill us easily because we've run out of weapons, keep posting barbecue photos on social media.
Free choice. Just make it conscious and ethical — meaning don't lie to others about it.
But don't complain if, in a few years, you or your child dies from a resistant bacterium. You created it.
We're adults. Everyone takes responsibility for their actions. Unfortunately, those who don't contribute to creating resistant bacteria still suffer the side effects of others' choices. Not very democratic, is it?
