Global Warming or Over Population - Earths Biggest Threat?
- Thread starter SnapsProvolone
- Start date
AimAim
Well-Known Member
Overpopulation and pop control was a huge topic in the "earth movement" of the 70's, but kind of went out of vogue as a topic of discussion since then. I can't see how as a planet we can avoid hitting a brick wall with population somewhere down the road. Maybe as a species we are smart enough to get things under control but I'm not holding my breath.
cannabineer
Ursus marijanus
Damn connection ate my post about 5 messages back.
Bottom line is that i think overpop or environmental harm are incidental to the prime issue:
we MUST get off this rock.
We've turned away from the course that leads us to spacefaring, to putting heavy industry into space. The kind of industry that'll sustain and grow an energy-intensive society cheaply enough will be dirty. You can have clean ... or you can have practicable.
But we have to get our center of mass, both industrially and socially, outside the beautiful onionskin of blue that coats Home. If we apply ourselves NOW and use resources in a mighty push to get working societies offplanet, we'll climb out entirely and leave enough that we can repair and restore the planetary ecosphere ... so it can breed the next sapient and technical society. Who knows ... we might meet our elders at last.
Bottom line is that i think overpop or environmental harm are incidental to the prime issue:
we MUST get off this rock.
We've turned away from the course that leads us to spacefaring, to putting heavy industry into space. The kind of industry that'll sustain and grow an energy-intensive society cheaply enough will be dirty. You can have clean ... or you can have practicable.
But we have to get our center of mass, both industrially and socially, outside the beautiful onionskin of blue that coats Home. If we apply ourselves NOW and use resources in a mighty push to get working societies offplanet, we'll climb out entirely and leave enough that we can repair and restore the planetary ecosphere ... so it can breed the next sapient and technical society. Who knows ... we might meet our elders at last.
Pinworm
Well-Known Member
Sort of elegant right there.
WTF did he say?
Pinworm
Well-Known Member
*Defuq dat nigga said, homie?
cannabineer
Ursus marijanus
Just being a bit facetious, Merry Christmas.we MUST get off this rock.
"It's fairly explanatory."
Pinworm
Well-Known Member
I see whatcha did thurr.
cannabineer
Ursus marijanus
And to you as well.
desert dude
Well-Known Member
I don't know that over population is a "problem", as implied. There have been predictions of doom because of population growth and they have all been stupid in retrospect, at least so far. We humans have been able to invent our way out of the predicted catastrophes with technology. I don't expect us to suddenly get stupid and unable to invent. Doer is correct that "global warming" has been stalled for about 15 years, which probably explains why it has been rebranded as "Global Climate Change". Twenty years ago the talk was all about the impending ice age!!!
From an aesthetic perspective I would like a much smaller population because I don't like crowds and I don't like congested cities and such, but that is just my cosmetic preference, I am not predicting mass starvation. If I were a God and could reduce the global population to around 500 million, I would do it in a painless way. I know of quite a few members of the herd, right here on RIU, that would be good candidates to free up some space.
Queue the race baiters...
From an aesthetic perspective I would like a much smaller population because I don't like crowds and I don't like congested cities and such, but that is just my cosmetic preference, I am not predicting mass starvation. If I were a God and could reduce the global population to around 500 million, I would do it in a painless way. I know of quite a few members of the herd, right here on RIU, that would be good candidates to free up some space.
Queue the race baiters...
Pinworm
Well-Known Member
[video=youtube;D7ErpFBO7RI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7ErpFBO7RI[/video]I don't know that over population is a "problem", as implied. There have been predictions of doom because of population growth and they have all been stupid in retrospect, at least so far. We humans have been able to invent our way out of the predicted catastrophes with technology. I don't expect us to suddenly get stupid and unable to invent. Doer is correct that "global warming" has been stalled for about 15 years, which probably explains why it has been rebranded as "Global Climate Change". Twenty years ago the talk was all about the impending ice age!!!
From an aesthetic perspective I would like a much smaller population because I don't like crowds and I don't like congested cities and such, but that is just my cosmetic preference, I am not predicting mass starvation. If I were a God and could reduce the global population to around 500 million, I would do it in a painless way. I know of quite a few members of the herd, right here on RIU, that would be good candidates to free up some space.
Queue the race baiters...
Just shut up, and learn to swim.
cannabineer
Ursus marijanus
If I were a God (to more than just some folks who wear seal fur and kiss with their noses) I imagine I would have much greater awareness of the actual hinges and fulcra of the entire situation. Reducing the population, working from what we as humans know ... might have serious unintended consequences. While it offends me to think it, the way of pain that is the way things are now ... might have unseen benefits over some apparently merciful intervention. Jmo.
Pinworm
Well-Known Member
I enjoy reading your posts, Mr. Bear. It sure beats that big festering neon distraction in the other direction....Just saying.
cannabineer
Ursus marijanus
Many of these ideas are not originally my own. I count it as one of the great joys of community (like this one) to find and have friends who a) can, and b) will, discuss the big ideas with me. I send all of them/you good thoughts for Christmas now.
Pinworm
Well-Known Member
cannabineer
Ursus marijanus
the Guidestones are insidious. They remove the best option (expand beyond Earth!) from view.
desert dude
Well-Known Member
Oh, sure, some jerk comes along and asks me to think it through!
ginwilly
Well-Known Member
To me the biggest threat would be those in charge who try to "fix" either. Why people trust a bunch lawyers to make decisions on economics and ecological issues is beyond me.
I'm not a fan of Eugenics and I'm not a fan of cap and trade. Let's just outlaw excessive pollution period, not make deals to who can and who can't and work on restoring our rain forest. Broad leaf trees are natures defense system.
As far as population control, the thought of telling people how many kids they can have seems like the epitome of a nanny state.
I'm not a fan of Eugenics and I'm not a fan of cap and trade. Let's just outlaw excessive pollution period, not make deals to who can and who can't and work on restoring our rain forest. Broad leaf trees are natures defense system.
As far as population control, the thought of telling people how many kids they can have seems like the epitome of a nanny state.