General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIf you're 47 then the world's population has doubled during your lifetime.
... and if you're 70 then the world's population has tripled during your lifetime.
Concerns about global warming, preserving our resources, and what conditions will be like in the future all seem to be based upon the assumption that the population will somehow stay fixed, but there's no reason to expect that. I'm not aware of any serious movement to reduce the rate of human population growth around the world, let alone stop it, nor is there even speculation about how either might be accomplished. We are animals, and here's something that Richard Dawkins wrote that applies to humanity just as much as it applies to other animal species:
The total amount of suffering per year in the natural world is beyond all decent contemplation. During the minute that it takes me to compose this sentence, thousands of animals are being eaten alive, many others are running for their lives, whimpering with fear, others are slowly being devoured from within by rasping parasites, thousands of all kinds are dying of starvation, thirst, and disease. It must be so. If there ever is a time of plenty, this very fact will automatically lead to an increase in the population until the natural state of starvation and misery is restored.
That's what's happening to humanity and there's nothing we can do about it. Even some far-fetched, hypothetical, breakthrough to somehow limit births would only be seen as favoring some subset of humanity and discriminating against another, and those who resist would survive while those who submit would die out.
No, I don't see any way out. The average human being is experiencing an extremely miserable life, and because of the limited capacity of Planet Earth to support us, it can only get worse.
captain queeg
(10,019 posts)doc03
(35,079 posts)million when I was in 7th grade.
sinkingfeeling
(51,202 posts)Demovictory9
(32,297 posts)BigmanPigman
(51,368 posts)I have never regretted choosing not to have kids. In fact, I am more happy with my choice by the day. I decided this before Climate Change was a serious issue but I also considered my own finances when making this choice. Birth rate ARE down, especially among younger Americans so that is a good sign that people are putting some thought into populating the earth even more, even if it is due to high costs of living and climate change.
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)Theres an organization called Population Connection. They used to be called Zero Population Growth. I donated to them so I get a newsletter from them. Mostly, the stories are about attempts in some third world countries to set up womens clinics. That and articles about how dangerous human overpopulation is, how it is driving all the other catastrophes going on.
No solutions though. And theres nothing I can do to change anything.
ProudLib72
(17,984 posts)I'm depressed by this information though I already guessed as much.
Dear World, STOP HAVING BABIES!!!
RKP5637
(67,008 posts)dhill926
(16,200 posts)fucks. Guess they want to rule over a totally degraded world...
FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)They want a Trump-humping, evangelical world.
Doesn't get more degraded than that.
Xolodno
(6,311 posts)....but what's perplexing is this; Many of our economies on this globe depend on continual growth, hence continual consumption. The globes resources are finite. This can't continue.
Sooner or later, mother nature is going to take over and there will be famine, war and disease. Putting the population back in check.