And some people still cling to the myth of the 'Population Explosion'

[Toro]

PJ O'Rourke on the attitude of those who think there are too many people in the world - "Just enough of me, way too much of you."

 

[Redfish]

Technology creates wealth and abundance.

The only limitations on population are the limitations of the human mind.

ridiculous, unless you think living in a concrete jungle 50 stories high is living. Humans nees space and freedom. Too many people takes both of those away. There is also the problem of food and water.

amazing how some people think as they do.

 

[Redfish]

For - what - 40 years or so now some people have been predicting doom and gloom over an "overcrowded world." Not only has it never been a real 'crisis,' the future holds challenges in exactly the opposite direction. Some of these challenges are presenting themselves before us now, and we would be wise to start thinking hard about the ones to come.

America's Baby Bust - WSJ.com

Developed nations always see a decline in birth rate. People get fat, dumb, and happy and don't want kids draining their incomes away. When faced with a choice between no kids (maybe one), a BMW and dining out at nice restaurants; or three kids, a Honda Civic and McDonald's; they go with the former.


Developing nations have sky high birth rates. Have you noticed the world population has passed the 7 billion mark? So it is laughable to hear someone say "the future holds challenges in the opposite direction".

Anyone who regularly trades in commodities (cough) can tell you the effect a rising world population is having on raw materials.

As nations prosper, their per capita use of resources rise. It's always a competition between maximizing efficiency and rising demand.

"Fat, dumb, and happy"? No. Fertility rates fall hardest as people become wealthier, more educated, and freer. You haven't read any of the many links I've posted on this thread, have you?

and as they become smarter

 

[Toro]

Technology creates wealth and abundance.

The only limitations on population are the limitations of the human mind.

ridiculous, unless you think living in a concrete jungle 50 stories high is living. Humans nees space and freedom. Too many people takes both of those away. There is also the problem of food and water.

amazing how some people think as they do.

It is amazing the way some people think. For example, you think it's your place to tell people what they need. It's also amazing that you don't know that your Malthusian argument has been the same for 200 years.

 

[Sunshine]

For - what - 40 years or so now some people have been predicting doom and gloom over an "overcrowded world." Not only has it never been a real 'crisis,' the future holds challenges in exactly the opposite direction. Some of these challenges are presenting themselves before us now, and we would be wise to start thinking hard about the ones to come.

America's Baby Bust - WSJ.com

From the OP:

Here in America, white, college-educated women—a good proxy for the middle class—have a fertility rate of 1.6. America has its very own one-child policy. And we have chosen it for ourselves.

I believe that. The crisis, IMO, is that many of the people having children in American have no intention of rearing them to be productive citizens. I always thought I was doing what was best to only have two children. Now it is clear that a lot of children in this country are 'hungry.' It must be so, because our media keeps telling us this. So, with all the government assistance out there, how is it there are so many 'hungry' children. Wht happens to the food stamps and money we give those parents for the purpose of feeding their children? Those of us who worked and educated our children to be productive people also provide our children with meals and the necessities of life.

I think a crisis definitely IS looming. Not because of there being too few people, but because there will soon be too few RESPONSIBLE people.

 

[Unkotare]

I think a crisis definitely IS looming. Not because of there being too few people, but because there will soon be too few RESPONSIBLE people.

We've been hip-deep in that crisis for a while now.

 

[bripat9643]

You're not thinking about it carefully. Read the link.

China's problems stem from the "one child" policy, not from a reduction in the birth rate.

Read the link. It won't bite ya.

I read it.

 

[bripat9643]

They've gone extinct much faster at many times in history. Usually when something pretty devastating has happened, though.

Yeah, disastrous like the existence of mankind.

Are you the president of your own misanthropic institute? Tell you what, if you hate us humans so much you feel free to leave. But we're keeping the house.

You'll have to excuse me if I don't want to live in a world where every square yard is covered with human beings. I don't care if it is technically feasible.

 

[bripat9643]

The problem with large populations occur when there are not enough resources nearby to sustain them.

The one the biggest problems is the water stortage in US SW and West. The Colorado is reduced to a tricke by the time it leaves for Mexico. Lake Meade's water level continues to go down. Many other places in the world experience similar shotages.

Large cities are artifical enviornments. Any big disater that disrupts the supply chain can create the potential for mass die-offs. "Peak Oil" has already come and gone---production of crude oil is only going down. Just to make one tire on a car takes 8 gallons of oil.

The Third World will likely be hit the hardest when the next super-bug epidemic hits. Even if only 1 person in a hundred were to die of an Influenza outbreak in civilized areas (like in 1918), the entire grid would likely fail as most of the people required to keep society running would stay home.

There are enough other potiential mega-disasters to create mass deaths, and those don't even include the silly ones involving aliens and zombies.

Just an eventuality of time.

A lot of cities were built in places where, in hindsight, they shouldn't have been. But, improved water management is certainly possible. Medical science (and related logistics) has advanced to the point where - hopefully - something like the mortality rate of the 1918 Influenza pandemic is unlikely. With innovation, ingenuity, and a little luck we can keep ourselves together. The point is that 'overpopulation' is a myth and always has been. We need to start considering the real challenges that lie ahead for future generations.

Perhaps people aren't going to starve if our populations doubles, but who wants to live in a world with 14 billion people? Would you enjoy the beach if every square yard of it was covered with people?

 

[bripat9643]

PJ O'Rourke on the attitude of those who think there are too many people in the world - "Just enough of me, way too much of you."

That's true, but so what?

What's desirable about having another 10 billion people on the planet?

 

[rdean]

It is a crisis. Only science has kept us from starving. .......

It is not and has never been a "crisis." Human innovation has more than kept pace with what is needed to feed the population (why some people in certain parts of the world are starving despite this has to do with politics, planning, and human nature). Innovation suffers when populations decline. Read the link.

We may not be starving, but we are driving many other species to extinction. I don't want to live in a world where we are the only large animals.

Some are larger than others.

 

[Unkotare]

Yeah, disastrous like the existence of mankind.

Are you the president of your own misanthropic institute? Tell you what, if you hate us humans so much you feel free to leave. But we're keeping the house.

You'll have to excuse me if I don't want to live in a world where every square yard is covered with human beings. I don't care if it is technically feasible.

If there are too many of us humans for your liking then just leave. Go on.

 

[Unkotare]

[

Perhaps people aren't going to starve if our populations doubles, but who wants to live in a world with 14 billion people?

The 14 billionth person.

 

[Unkotare]

We probably won't hit more than 10 billion or so sometime between 50 and 60 years from now when the global population decline will officially begin.

 

[bripat9643]

Are you the president of your own misanthropic institute? Tell you what, if you hate us humans so much you feel free to leave. But we're keeping the house.

You'll have to excuse me if I don't want to live in a world where every square yard is covered with human beings. I don't care if it is technically feasible.

If there are too many of us humans for your liking then just leave. Go on.

You're a jackass. Go fuck yourself.

 

[bripat9643]

[

Perhaps people aren't going to starve if our populations doubles, but who wants to live in a world with 14 billion people?

The 14 billionth person.

You can't want things before you are born.

 

[Toro]

PJ O'Rourke on the attitude of those who think there are too many people in the world - "Just enough of me, way too much of you."

That's true, but so what?

What's desirable about having another 10 billion people on the planet?

I'm in Canada right now. You can drive for hours in this country and not see anyone.

So I'm not too worried about space on the planet.

 

[Unkotare]

China's problems stem from the "one child" policy, not from a reduction in the birth rate.

Read the link. It won't bite ya.

I read it.

Not very carefully, it seems.

 

[bripat9643]

PJ O'Rourke on the attitude of those who think there are too many people in the world - "Just enough of me, way too much of you."

That's true, but so what?

What's desirable about having another 10 billion people on the planet?

I'm in Canada right now. You can drive for hours in this country and not see anyone.

So I'm not too worried about space on the planet.

There's a reason there aren't many people in Canada: Nobody wants to live there. Go to Miami or Los Angeles and tell me there aren't enough people on the planet.

 

[bripat9643]

Read the link. It won't bite ya.

I read it.

Not very carefully, it seems.

Wrong. I simply don't suffer from delusions as you do.