Just a post to address a topic I think is going to come into the forefront of worldwide politics in the not too distant future. It is a topic that I am amazed is not referred to as “the problem which must not be named” followed by furtive glances and hushed whispering. It is the bane of all political agendas and the antithesis of economic growth…overpopulation. We have been spoon fed a total load of bollocks over the last 5 years on how all us greedy people are causing no end of problems for the poor people in power, who have to work very hard to come up with policies that will keep us in check and reduce our carbon footprints, promote greener living and encourage recycling. Admittedly, all commendable pursuits, but it is merely treating the symptoms rather than hitting the root of the problem.
WE ARE OVERPOPULATED
There, not so hard to see in writing is it? Try saying it, doesn’t hurt. Why do people balk at the mere mention, not just politicians but also your average Joe? Is it really a problem with no hope of redemption? Nah is it ‘eck – we just can’t we arsed taking on a problem of that magnitude and so we resort to half arsed completely pathetic attempts to make ourselves feel better. This leads to shite like carbon neutral car insurance being offered on the telly box – I absolutely crack my sides laughing every time I see those adverts….if I ever met a person who said they genuinely believed that crap I would literally slap them…no I mean it.
As well as becoming more ecologically aware and green we have to accept that we have a population problem. It is slowly killing us and unless we start to take some form of action to stem the rising tide of people, then the economy, the environment, the education, health service, benefit system, workforce – just add your own to the list there feel free – they will all suffer to the point of collapse. Sociologists are aware that total social breakdown has happened across the globe many times throughout history but it is widely agreed if it were to happen now, with our co-dependency on import and mass overpopulation, the “system” would not cope at all.
It may seem doom and gloom, might even seem far fetched, but it isn’t. Our society cannot handle large scale collapse. We hear economic portends of this nature all the time “housing market close to collapse” being a hype term of the moment, but all to often it is simple media hype. The problem of overpopulation isn’t though. Personally I really cannot wait for said collapse to happen. This pathetic society needs a wake up call. This consumer driven, ceaseless driving isle of utterly lazy bastards needs a nationwide slap, and a slap where it hurts…the source of economy.
Worried yet? No?
Don’t blame you – a simple blog isn’t going to cause a wake up to something like this. No much will open any ones eyes to it, such is the condition we are now in – we don’t pay attention to what is around us unless it hits us where we are bothered, and it will – rest assured of that.
Meanwhile, some interesting pieces of information for you to peruse…
1. The oncoming peaking of global oil production (and subsequent decline of production), along with the peak of North American natural gas production may precipitate this agricultural crisis much sooner than expected. Geologist Dale Allen Pfeiffer claims that coming decades could see spiraling food prices without relief and massive starvation on a global level such as never experienced before.
2. The book The Little Green Handbook reasons that in 2050 about 7.7 billion people would be expected to suffer from illness, lack of adequate sanitation, hunger, and extreme poverty,[9] provided that the high population estimates of year 2050 are realised.
There are also many citations I could post stating that the world will be OK, that the various nations of the world will step up to their responsibilities and make the necessary changes. I for one do not believe that they will alongside many others. Much like that last G8 summit, a lot was said, many promises made and NOT ONE SINGLE ONE has yet been carried out.
The optimistic projections place their trust in a reliance on politicians to do the right thing…
Ye Gods…we’re screwed!
Tags: overpopulaion, politics, society
We can take it as read that the world is overpopulated. Simple fact – no problem with that. The question is what to do about it – I have chidren and so do you, so we’re as guilty of causing the problem as much as anyone else – but would you want to choose the desparate measures which would serve to reduce the population? No? Neither would I.
Would you sacrifice yourself, your children and your potential grandchildren for the sake of a better world for the rest of the lowered population. No? Neither would I.
Who would get to choose who could carry on the population and who couldn’t? What criteria would be used? It’s been tried before, only 70 years ago and look what happened then.
Actually, there is still hope but it requires a completely different way of thinking. Firstly we need to think as a planet rather than a collection of countries – then we need to start looking at the planet from a different angle in order to deal with problems in specific areas – both physical and political.
Assuming a relatively stable population and an equitable use of them the world has plenty of resources to go round. We just need to work out how to spread them around efficiently.
Buckminster Fuller came up with some fascinating ideas about this. I’d recommend looking at his plan for a global energy network for an example of completely radical thinking. Actually, when it comes to radical solutions to problems, I’d recommend his views on almost anything.
Fuller once put out a challenge to himself and the world: “If success or failure of the planet and of human beings depended on
how I am and what I do … How would I be? What would I do?”
The Fuller Institute gives out prizes and promotion for people who fulfill this challenge in science – but it’s also an excellent way of looking at the world morally and socially.
There is light at the end of the tunnel. It’s very, very small and a long way off in the darkness, but it’s there all the same.
Overly optimistic? Perhaps, but that’s better than the alternative.
LOve,
Seán
Apologies for the typos. I’m trying not to take too much time.
Love,
Seán
In developed countried the issue is not our birth rate – its our death rate. It is simply not high enouigh to control us. On the other end of the scale in the poorer countries they have a sufficient death rate but a scary birth rate which outshadows it.
We live too long. No, there is no easy way of looking at it, but at the end fo the day our medicine has been used in the wrong way to our detriment for too long. We medically keep people alive so long that often the only final alternative is the medical system “allowing” them to die by admittance to hospital and removal of meds. Death within paliative care is higher than death in any other area (national statistics website).
Using my grandma as an example – she was alive purely on the frightening amount of medication she was on for at least 7 years. Should be people be “kept alive” in this way? Personally I think no.