The population explosion: a challenging piece of knowledge

[August]

Hello

The most important *knowledge* you are going to gain on this forum will have to do with the fact that some people are worried about global warming while other people insist that the world is cooling. What you get is confusion and contradiction, and that is the way of the world. And hey: I'm telling you this as a person who graduated from university as an anthropologist whose only *real* knowledge contribution has to do with the population explosion. And that is a taboo topics of sorts. Unspeakable. Absolutely impossible for other social scientists to think too much about. It's a topic that has way too much to do with the human sex drive; not to forget that GOD CREATED US WITH THE ABILITY TO GIVE BIRTH TO ABOUT SEVENTEEN CHILDREN PER WOMAN. And you do not fuck with God. You just don't! But fact is fact: the world population has doubled two times in less than one-hundred years, and it is going to rise by another 40 percent in the coming few decades. That amounts to about 2.5 - 3 billion people. And that amounts to the combined population of China and India, and then some. The world population will, according to the US Census Bureau, reach about 9.2 billion before it is hoped that it starts to stabilize. -

Now, because the population explosion is a natural condition caused by the creative powers of God, you can go ahead and forget about everything I just said. But please remember my first two keywords: CONFUSION and CONTRADICTION. - This forum is full of it, and you're going to *learn* a lot about it.

- ---

Radical Depopulation Of The Earth - The Solution To Mankind's Problems?

It is not easy to be too certain about too many things which pertains to the future. Population growth is not one of those things. We know that the world's population will reach 9 billion souls by the year 2050, and when it comes to the year 2050, that's just about the only thing we can be certain about.

We should be able to plan for the inevitable! - Which is that the world's population will keep exploding for quite a while. And it is the opposite of a collapse! Yes! It is not as if the world's population is about to die off! It's the opposite! It is a majestic increase of population we are talking about here! And it leaves us with a lot of problems which can never be solved unless politicians and other administrators start taking the issue seriously. Which they don't! In fact: the whole topic is taboo! It's hardly ever mentioned by anyone. Not by politicians. Not by UN diplomats. Not by any member of the press.

And it is not some doomsayer's warning we are dealing with here! Not at all! This is reality. These are facts. It's the truth! The whole truth! And nothing but the truth!

But we choose to close our eyes to the fact of a population explosion which is going to transform the world in the next 40 years, ignoring the issue deliberately. - Crazy.

Under RATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES, there should have been social research programs aimed at covering all of the probable, possible, and inevitable consequences that are connected to the population explosion issue, and as seen both from local, national, regional, and global perspectives. Food issues. Water issues. Sanitation issues. Town planning issues. Security issues. Crime control isses. All sorts of issues that are going to rise from a most basic fact of reality: the population explosion. As it happens on a local level at the same time as it is, quite naturally, a global matter. But the truths that pertain to population dynamics have somehow become taboo. And it is just plain crazy. We just don't want to deal with the most basic fact as concerns the future of all! - How can this be explained?

[Deathridesahorse]

Originally Posted by August

Hello

The most important *knowledge* you are going to gain on this forum will have to do with the fact that some people are worried about global warming while other people insist that the world is cooling. What you get is confusion and contradiction, and that is the way of the world. And hey: I'm telling you this as a person who graduated from university as an anthropologist whose only *real* knowledge contribution has to do with the population explosion. And that is a taboo topics of sorts. Unspeakable. Absolutely impossible for other social scientists to think too much about. It's a topic that has way too much to do with the human sex drive; not to forget that GOD CREATED US WITH THE ABILITY TO GIVE BIRTH TO ABOUT SEVENTEEN CHILDREN PER WOMAN. And you do not fuck with God. You just don't! But fact is fact: the world population has doubled two times in less than one-hundred years, and it is going to rise by another 40 percent in the coming few decades. That amounts to about 2.5 - 3 billion people. And that amounts to the combined population of China and India, and then some. The world population will, according to the US Census Bureau, reach about 9.2 billion before it is hoped that it starts to stabilize. -

Now, because the population explosion is a natural condition caused by the creative powers of God, you can go ahead and forget about everything I just said. But please remember my first two keywords: CONFUSION and CONTRADICTION. - This forum is full of it, and you're going to *learn* a lot about it.

- ---

Radical Depopulation Of The Earth - The Solution To Mankind's Problems?

It is not easy to be too certain about too many things which pertains to the future. Population growth is not one of those things. We know that the world's population will reach 9 billion souls by the year 2050, and when it comes to the year 2050, that's just about the only thing we can be certain about.

We should be able to plan for the inevitable! - Which is that the world's population will keep exploding for quite a while. And it is the opposite of a collapse! Yes! It is not as if the world's population is about to die off! It's the opposite! It is a majestic increase of population we are talking about here! And it leaves us with a lot of problems which can never be solved unless politicians and other administrators start taking the issue seriously. Which they don't! In fact: the whole topic is taboo! It's hardly ever mentioned by anyone. Not by politicians. Not by UN diplomats. Not by any member of the press.

And it is not some doomsayer's warning we are dealing with here! Not at all! This is reality. These are facts. It's the truth! The whole truth! And nothing but the truth!

But we choose to close our eyes to the fact of a population explosion which is going to transform the world in the next 40 years, ignoring the issue deliberately. - Crazy.

Under RATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES, there should have been social research programs aimed at covering all of the probable, possible, and inevitable consequences that are connected to the population explosion issue, and as seen both from local, national, regional, and global perspectives. Food issues. Water issues. Sanitation issues. Town planning issues. Security issues. Crime control isses. All sorts of issues that are going to rise from a most basic fact of reality: the population explosion. As it happens on a local level at the same time as it is, quite naturally, a global matter. But the truths that pertain to population dynamics have somehow become taboo. And it is just plain crazy. We just don't want to deal with the most basic fact as concerns the future of all! - How can this be explained?

Ahem, Al Gore has addressed the need for sustainable energy solutions just recently...like two days ago.

But you are correct: we need to break the taboo and start talking about these things at the kitchen table and the water cooler atleast. Um, a somewhat necessary step I should think?!?

[August]

Hello

(...) For example: a woman is so much more than a baby machine!! But it is still true to say that the only way to keeping the population explosion from happening, would be to limit the number of births per woman to TWO. Now, God created woman with the ability to give birth to SEVENTEEN children in a lifetime (and a number of third world women are still doing just that). Now, God created us with the possibility of giving rise to a potentially Earth shattering population explosion. And some would say that God made a foolish mistake, while others would call it a simple Law of Nature. I say the population explosion is a simple Law of Nature, and that the Creator is a trickster. Nine billion people, one planet. - I wonder how more than nine billion people are going to go about leading a congested life like that? But then I also wonder what the Pharaos of our times are thinking about this development, and whether or not they do have something sinister up their sleeve? - Who knows?

- ---

As a social anthropologist by education, let me just add that there is a god-awful number of family and clan based cultures around the world. These are places where every youth is quite used to having six, eight, eleven or even as many as *sixteen* brothers and sisters. Regardless of gender, and as a matter of culture, tradition, and upbringing, these youths can hardly imagine a future of not having a lot of children of their own.

[August]

Originally Posted by Deathridesahorse

Ahem, Al Gore has addressed the need for sustainable energy solutions just recently...like two days ago.

Sustainable energy solutions; well, that's one thing. But we're living in and dealing with a consumerist world culture which leaves us with little hope of ever achieving what is popularly termed as SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. And that is what we MUST DO! We MUST think about what a sustainable development - especially in terms of energy use and energy production - actually means! Unfortunately though: it's a tall order.

Originally Posted by Deathridesahorse

But you are correct: we need to break the taboo and start talking about these things at the kitchen table and the water cooler atleast. Um, a somewhat necessary step I should think?!?

I agree. There are so many problems that can find its solusion on top of kitchen tables. But I've got a problem with kitchen tables. The thing is: people who are engaged in kitchen table discussions are inclined to making simple and not-so-fruitful CONCLUSIONS, like, well, it's all going straight to hell and there is nothing anyone can do about it: it is beyond our control so there is nothing else for us to than to THINK like we're always been thinking, and act as normal. I think you know what I mean: the kitchen table leaves people with a feeing of "oh shit! well, it's the way of the world, let's not think about it, shall we?"

What I am saying is that the population explosion issue should be taken seriously by (political, administrative, structural, legal, intellectual, etc.) DEPARTMENTS OF PEOPLE who have the power to start taking the population challenge seriously and start dealing with the issue not only as a serious problem but as a challenge which is cast upon all all of us, and all of our societies. Because there is not much anyone can d0o to stop the population explosion from happening. We must deal with it as a fact of (human) nature, and not only as a massive problem that is too much (or too UNPLEASANT) to even start to think about! I mean: such a response would be deeply irrational!

There is not much everyday people can do. The consequences of the probable, possible, and inevitable problems concerned with the population explosion must be focussed on, seriously, as a structural matter that we are all faced with as human beings; both on a local, national, regional, and global level. Because there is nothing anyone can do to stop the world population from reaching more than 9 billion souls by the year 2050. Nothing! And that is why we must start to deal with the issue in a rational way, and not like now, acting like deaf, dumb, and blind.

It is not as if the population explosion is something that our ruling class can just choose to ignore! But that is exactly what it does!

I put this to you: there is only one thing about the future we can say for certain, and it is that the population explosion is going to keep happening, and make us reach a number of 9 billion souls, globally, by the year 2050. For some unfathomable reason, this is an issue that politicians, diplomats and so-called intellectuals do not want to adress! And it makes you wonder. WHY?

[Deathridesahorse]

Originally Posted by August

Sustainable energy solutions; well, that's one thing. But we're living in and dealing with a consumerist world culture which leaves us with little hope of ever achieving what is popularly termed as SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. And that is what we MUST DO! We MUST think about what a sustainable development - especially in terms of energy use and energy production - actually means! Unfortunately though: it's a tall order.



I agree. There are so many problems that can find its solusion on top of kitchen tables. But I've got a problem with kitchen tables. The thing is: people who are engaged in kitchen table discussions are inclined to making simple and not-so-fruitful CONCLUSIONS, like, well, it's all going straight to hell and there is nothing anyone can do about it: it is beyond our control so there is nothing else for us to than to THINK like we're always been thinking, and act as normal. I think you know what I mean: the kitchen table leaves people with a feeing of "oh shit! well, it's the way of the world, let's not think about it, shall we?"

What I am saying is that the population explosion issue should be taken seriously by (political, administrative, structural, legal, intellectual, etc.) DEPARTMENTS OF PEOPLE who have the power to start taking the population challenge seriously and start dealing with the issue not only as a serious problem but as a challenge which is cast upon all all of us, and all of our societies. Because there is not much anyone can d0o to stop the population explosion from happening. We must deal with it as a fact of (human) nature, and not only as a massive problem that is too much (or too UNPLEASANT) to even start to think about! I mean: such a response would be deeply irrational!

There is not much everyday people can do. The consequences of the probable, possible, and inevitable problems concerned with the population explosion must be focussed on, seriously, as a structural matter that we are all faced with as human beings; both on a local, national, regional, and global level. Because there is nothing anyone can do to stop the world population from reaching more than 9 billion souls by the year 2050. Nothing! And that is why we must start to deal with the issue in a rational way, and not like now, acting like deaf, dumb, and blind.

It is not as if the population explosion is something that our ruling class can just choose to ignore! But that is exactly what it does!

I put this to you: there is only one thing about the future we can say for certain, and it is that the population explosion is going to keep happening, and make us reach a number of 9 billion souls, globally, by the year 2050. For some unfathomable reason, this is an issue that politicians, diplomats and so-called intellectuals do not want to adress! And it makes you wonder. WHY?

1- Tall order, yes, but my point was simply-like Gore said the money is starting to roll into Renewables at $135 oil rather than $35 oil- that humanity has a fighting chance with people like Gore. "Sustainability" is, and the corrollary of "Sustainable Growth" will be, on everyones lips thanks to the mass appeal of credible people like Gore who wiled their power with responsibility.

2- Yes and no. We all have the power to demand yet consumerism seems to have divided us and made us forget that we have such powers: I don't think it has conquered us, tho, as we have chat sites and such with which to counter the propaganda of advertising and various other non-specific propagandii(???) that exist.

I know that is almost nonsense as markets rely on, the one side, demand from the consumer so you would think that we wouldn't forget this power. I am simply saying that materialism has blinded us, really i.e. we have temporarily given up such power.

There is hope...Buddhism, I think, tells us that these strings of Mara are easily cut by the sword of wisdom. I think Gore has started the cutting process by making people aware of these strings: you will note, funnily enough, he did talk about a thread.

Coincidence??? I suspect not.

I know I haven't addressed all the points but my head is spinning and I may have to get to some of the other ones a bit later.

[spadlet]

Originally Posted by August

There is not much everyday people can do.

I'm afraid I might disagree with you there. Is it not true that population has pretty much stabalised in 'western' culture?

[August]

Spadlet,

Yes. That is true. In the western world populations have stabilized. It is good news indeed. But in the third world (let me repeat myself) there are persistent cultural and traditional ties to the extended family system. In large parts of the third world, it is very uncommon to find families with less than five children per unit. This is something that is ingrained in society. It is what is expected by every family! To bring five, seven, or nine children into the world. It's expected. And it's desirable. It's a question of culture and tradition first and foremost.

Now, the end result of this tradition is conflict over land! And what comes next is food and fresh water problems. What comes is a lot of problems concerned with local societal infrastructure.

I mean: we're talking about countries / regions of this world in which TOWN PLANNING is nothing but a word. It's never put into practice. And these are things that the authorities of these countries / regions do not take seriously. Politicians and diplomats of the western world do not give a damn about the population issue. And this is plain crazy. We can't choose to ignore the most important social change that is upon us: namely the fact that the world's population is going to rise by a staggering 40% in the next forty years! Without planning for it! Without even making the simplest attempt at figuring out what is in store for us, on a local, national, regional and indeed global level. We ignore the problem, and we do so deliberately. It is not smart. In fact: it is stupid.

[include]

That's just because those economies are poor and women havn't been freed to go to work. Do that and population growth naturally slows.

[August]

Yes, Include. You might say that, but then I think you are forgetting about the fact that extended family and clan based cultures around the world have a strong tradition for giving birth to a lot of children. This is not something that can be changed overnight.

In the meantime, while waiting for the time when populations might start to stabilize, I think it would be a good idea to bring into analysis the effects of the inevitability of the population explosion as it plays out on a local, national, regional, and global level. This is not being done, and it is downright irresponsible. Local and regional political systems authorities and international organisations alike are choosing to close their eyes to the one thing we can be absolutely certain about as concerns the future of all; namely the fact that the world's population is going to rise by 40% in the next forty years. It's irresponsible, and it's stupid.

[Deathridesahorse]

Originally Posted by August

Yes, Include. You might say that, but then I think you are forgetting about the fact that extended family and clan based cultures around the world have a strong tradition for giving birth to a lot of children. This is not something that can be changed overnight.

In the meantime, while waiting for the time when populations might start to stabilize, I think it would be a good idea to bring into analysis the effects of the inevitability of the population explosion as it plays out on a local, national, regional, and global level. This is not being done, and it is downright irresponsible. Local and regional political systems authorities and international organisations alike are choosing to close their eyes to the one thing we can be absolutely certain about as concerns the future of all; namely the fact that the world's population is going to rise by 40% in the next forty years. It's irresponsible, and it's stupid.

Radical solution???...why don't we give the developing countrys solar power on the proviso they lower their birthrates to acceptable levels?