4 ms·

We can shift "peak population" forward by instituting progressively dystopian measures. "The city" is one such measure. We can also sacrifice quality of food,

• rsynnott 4y ago
  But I mean, the point is, we're _not_ shifting it forward. It is moving backwards (and smaller; most estimates are now for a peak of about 10bn, vs far more extravagant estimates in the past), closer to the present than would generally have been expected a few decades ago. In the 50s, many people didn't think there'd be a natural peak population at all; they were going with full Malthusianism. In practice, population growth tends to slow down and eventually reverse more or less naturally in advanced industrial economies.