World Population Out of Control (solution, terrorist, carry, education)

[goldengrain]

Earlier predictions of slowing growth were too conservative.

Fertility is not declining as rapidly as expected in some poor countries, and has shown a slight increase in many wealthier countries, including the United States, Britain and Denmark.

U.N. Forecasts 10.1 Billion People by Century?s End - NYTimes.com

Wars and disease seem no longer reliable to thin the herd and we should be using our brains and technology to curb our growth. This article claims that the education of women to know that there is a choice involved in whether or not to have a family is important, and that we cannot stop at just disseminating birth control devices. So, cultural changes are essential.

[PatsCats]

Originally Posted by Fred314X

Either that, or get cracking on means to "terraform" Mars, and start planning those colonies!

We are already destroying this planet. I'm not in favor of starting on another one.

My husband and I are not contributing to world population growth.

[Chango]

Originally Posted by goldengrain

Earlier predictions of slowing growth were too conservative.

Fertility is not declining as rapidly as expected in some poor countries, and has shown a slight increase in many wealthier countries, including the United States, Britain and Denmark.

U.N. Forecasts 10.1 Billion People by Century?s End - NYTimes.com

Wars and disease seem no longer reliable to thin the herd and we should be using our brains and technology to curb our growth. This article claims that the education of women to know that there is a choice involved in whether or not to have a family is important, and that we cannot stop at just disseminating birth control devices. So, cultural changes are essential.

I'm sure we'll hit 10 billion WAY before 2100. We'll probably find a way to manage, but at a significant loss to the planet's biodiversity.

The only other real solution is to expand into outer space, but that isn't gonna happen anytime soon...

[GalileoSmith]

Originally Posted by goldengrain

Earlier predictions of slowing growth were too conservative.

Fertility is not declining as rapidly as expected in some poor countries, and has shown a slight increase in many wealthier countries, including the United States, Britain and Denmark.

U.N. Forecasts 10.1 Billion People by Century?s End - NYTimes.com

Wars and disease seem no longer reliable to thin the herd and we should be using our brains and technology to curb our growth. This article claims that the education of women to know that there is a choice involved in whether or not to have a family is important, and that we cannot stop at just disseminating birth control devices. So, cultural changes are essential.

I wonder if the lack of play that this thread is getting is a kind of indication to the problem. Just an observation. Anyhow, the world population will come into check one way or the other. The question is, do we do it voluntarily, or does Mother Nature do it for us? When the lack of food, or water, or energy reaches the critical point, something will give. Perhaps a war will be the result.

I'm a guy who has never had a kid. Personally, I have never put any pressure on myself to reproduce. It's not like the human species is few in numbers and is endangered. And it's not like my genes are something special. Personally, I shake my head about stories where families have had eight kids or some astronomical amount. Even tales from the past of mammoth families kind of creeps me out. It's gotta change.

[samsite]

Mother nature always has a way of balancing things out in the end. Sorry to say, but humans will eventually hit a turn and the numbers will start going down again. It could be a disease (modern dark ages), or War (WWIII), or self descruction (Nuclear Terrorist attack), or maybe all of the above. I'm just glad the world still has a few decades left to enjoy before stuff really starts hitting the fan.

[Memphis1979]

I just don't see the population as being out of control. I hope the population continues to increase. It will force us to look for new places to live.

That leaves a few options.

1. Smaller homes (this will only last for so long)

2. Vertical (ever see the Jetsons?)

3. Down (who wants to live in a cave?)

4. Water (most of the world isn't explored, living in the oceans is an option)

5. Space

We'll either fail as a species, or we'll move on to something better. A lot of people have lawns in this country that could be used for farming. I enjoy growing plants for my family to eat. I have 18 tomato plants growing right now, 5 rows of corn, and several other vegetables. I live on less than a 1/4 an acre, the same lot size as a lot of you have.

There is no over population size yet, and it will be sometime before that happens.

[goldengrain]

Originally Posted by Memphis1979

I just don't see the population as being out of control. I hope the population continues to increase. It will force us to look for new places to live.

That leaves a few options.

1. Smaller homes (this will only last for so long)

2. Vertical (ever see the Jetsons?)

3. Down (who wants to live in a cave?)

4. Water (most of the world isn't explored, living in the oceans is an option)

5. Space

We'll either fail as a species, or we'll move on to something better. A lot of people have lawns in this country that could be used for farming. I enjoy growing plants for my family to eat. I have 18 tomato plants growing right now, 5 rows of corn, and several other vegetables. I live on less than a 1/4 an acre, the same lot size as a lot of you have.

There is no over population size yet, and it will be sometime before that happens.

I'm sure you have written this tongue in cheek. You omitted soylant green - we can reprocess dead humans into some sort of nutritious food for the masses. We could also extinguish family pets which do nothing to increase food production and just eat up resources. We could live as some alien populations do - 4 families in a house and work different shifts and take turns using the bedrooms. We could capture our pee to reprocess into drinking water. It might be feasible to just rub sand on our bodies to eliminate the extravagant use of water. Bald heads carry fewer diseases and don't require as much cleaning.

[goldengrain]

Originally Posted by GalileoSmith

I wonder if the lack of play that this thread is getting is a kind of indication to the problem. Just an observation. Anyhow, the world population will come into check one way or the other. The question is, do we do it voluntarily, or does Mother Nature do it for us? When the lack of food, or water, or energy reaches the critical point, something will give. Perhaps a war will be the result.

I'm a guy who has never had a kid. Personally, I have never put any pressure on myself to reproduce. It's not like the human species is few in numbers and is endangered. And it's not like my genes are something special. Personally, I shake my head about stories where families have had eight kids or some astronomical amount. Even tales from the past of mammoth families kind of creeps me out. It's gotta change.

I have always felt an inner revulsion when confronted with the concept of a large family. I don't mention it to people, ever, but I think less of those involved in large broods.

[crisan]

I understand your concern for the resources of Earth. However, when I think of over population, I can't help but think of cheap labor.

[Chango]

Originally Posted by goldengrain

I'm sure you have written this tongue in cheek. You omitted soylant green - we can reprocess dead humans into some sort of nutritious food for the masses. We could also extinguish family pets which do nothing to increase food production and just eat up resources. We could live as some alien populations do - 4 families in a house and work different shifts and take turns using the bedrooms. We could capture our pee to reprocess into drinking water. It might be feasible to just rub sand on our bodies to eliminate the extravagant use of water. Bald heads carry fewer diseases and don't require as much cleaning.

Oh hell. You just dropped the spoiler of the century and ruined my 1970's movie watching experience.