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The "overpopulation" people are essentially the most disingenuous concern trolls of the modern epoch. Since every problem can be expressed as a "per capita" val
by XorNot 3y ago
The "overpopulation" people are essentially the most disingenuous concern trolls of the modern epoch. Since every problem can be expressed as a "per capita" value, its very easy to claim that less people would obviously fix whatever problem you're talking about (despite it not changing the facts on the ground: i.e. CO2 emitting power generation would continue to warm the planet whether it supplies 5 billion people or 10 billion - whether it happens now or in 100 years, mankind winds up just as screwed).
You then of course get the people who don't actually get that every generation is...well a new generation. For as many displaced and orphaned children as their are, there is not nearly enough for everyone who wants to raise a child to have one (nor any practical way to fix the logistics of that process, even before we get to biological imperatives).
And of course finally you have the reality that none of the people who ever bring this up seem to actually be aware of any of the statistics surrounding it: i.e. most western nations are at or below replacement level, so any population increase comes from migration. Birth rates are also falling in the 3rd world[1] - and this is principally attributed to success in fighting poverty, promoting women's rights and education, as well as family planning work. It turns out population management is easy - it's so easy that we've succeeded at it without even really trying.
Which leads to - as you note - the utterly shitty rhetoric everytime there's a breakthrough in reproductive healthcare. A whole little army of childless 20-year olds who feel entitled to pass judgement on people experiencing reproductive trouble, who want a child, and are going to have...you know, on average 2 children maybe because they're still accessing a high tech medical service.
[1] https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/charted-rapid-decline-of-global-birth-rates/ https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/charted-rapid-decline-of...
- danielovichdk 3y agoI have always found it a fun paradox that some people, you for example, claim the earth is not overpopulated. It's really not a paradox. Its a naive claim. The facts being that humans consume and exploit the earth to a degree which destroys it is a - like i said fact - pretty well established. Sure the earth might hold 10 billion people. But that's not really how to look at it. No one in the western world will retract from their consumption levels in order to save the earth. Therfore we cannot be 8 billion and say we are not too many. The western world is doomed as you know it if we are to survive here. And tech is not saving your ass, tech fucked us all over in the first place. Think about how people really believe riding a fucking electric vehicle is good for the planet. Wtf is wrong with people? But you will perhaps like to live in the forest, eat only local foods and stop driving cars, having no fridge, no running water and wait for the shit to cool down. Of course you won't. So you really have to be blind not to see we are way to many people. Call me troll all tou want.
- Gibbon1 3y ago> The "overpopulation" people are essentially the most disingenuous concern trolls of the modern epoch. Ah go stuff it somewhere nobody wants to think about. Because it's totally rational to understand that exponential population growth will end badly. And at the same time believe that the vast majority of humanity has a right to have children.
- whelp_24 3y agoPopulation growth is slowing down and overpopulation isn't really a problem we should be concerned with. Look into it and you'll find we have plenty of space and resources, we just have to distribute it.