The Population Problem
1736 Columbia Rd., NW
Suite 305
Washington, DC 20009
ph: 202-387-3431
populate
Hello.
This is a site that has been set up to focus on -- and to discuss -- the problem of the increasing human overpopulation of our wonderful planet. This growth continues relentlessly, and is harming the Earth, and us, in several important and critical ways.
As the main dynamic force now controlling life on our world, mankind has an obligation -- indeed, a self-centered need -- to act wisely and to reproduce responsibly. The most serious of the troubles facing us today have been directly caused by this crisis of too many people.
Just look:
◊ Depletion and dispersal of natural resources.
◊ Increasing pollution, with major damage to the oceans.
◊ Extinction of a shocking number of plant and animal species.
◊ So many people living and dying, uneducated, in subsistence poverty.
◊ Climate Disruption caused by carbon-fuel warming.
This problem is a vital concern that should be kept in the back of everyone's mind, as they make the basic decisions that will shape how they run their lives.
Something to consider: On average, the world's popuation grows with a net increase of more than 200,000 people per day. This is every day, adding to an already terribly overpopulated Earth. ...every day.
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We should review all of our political, social and religious organizations, and ask: Which ones are helping us and which are harming?
So. How do we proceed? First, don't support any group that is impeding efforts to manage the human population. Do not await an apocalypse. We control our destiny.
Comments and ideas are welcome.
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This site has some rather different thoughts and action-ideas than those that are often presented by many of the more well-known
'do-good' organizations. The basic premise here is that one must
first deliberately look at the general global situation and then consider one's own circumstances in order to realistically decide how one should help in dealing with this enormous problem.
If one reviews the overall condition of the world, with so many people on it and concludes that there are now too many humans, the question of what to do next comes up. How does one help solve this dilemma which is clearly getting worse? How does one start? One can begin with simple reasoning and arrive at the conclusion that if overpopulation is a critically serious problem, well then logically, every death of a human helps with the solution to the predicament. Of course thinking like this -- hoping that more people leave -- is absurd and wrong. (This is also the sarcastic comment sometimes made by those who do not want to look at the details of this issue.)
Each one of us should be caring and tolerant and should expect tolerance from others, but we should definitely remain mindful of the larger picture concerning humanity's future.
Moderating and reducing the number of births worldwide is the key.
Some things to do:
1) Educate
Yourself.
Others.
2) Decide
Evaluate available and useful courses of action.
Follow through on your understanding of the facts of the world situation.
3) Support
Support the organizations that are doing what you consider to be good.
Oppose the organizations that have demonstrated to you that they are harming the world.
4) Live
Remain compassionate, but remember the differences
between local actions and global actions, especially when you voluntarily support any activity that will occur outside the sphere of your own personal life.
--- --- --- These four points in more detail --- --- ---
1) Education is the first step. Stop and consider the present state of our constructed world. Accumulate and read relevant information about the condition of the planet. This matter is important enough to bring it into conversations with your friends. And remember that this problem is not just occurring in other countries, "somewhere else". The developed nations must all also work at lowering the size of their own populations; especially the United States.
2) Think for yourself. Spread out what you know and look at the pieces, so that you might choose a life-path that will help you do what
you can to benefit humanity. [And of course, that includes critically reviewing the statements being made here.]
3) Support and Oppose. Many people, and some countries, understand the need for population control and are taking action. On the other hand, some powerful, entrenched, and dominant world-wide organizations persist in contributing to the problem. Fighting the activities of these groups in a realistic, civil, proper and helpful manner is perhaps the most important action to be considered here.
Specifically, please think about doing the following:
-> Support established non-profit Population Awareness and Population Management organizations; they have the right idea. Support politicians who have the courage to frankly address this issue.
-> Oppose the activities of the major Bible-based religions in areas where they promote increased human population. Not only is it very possible that their various suppostions may not be true, but their
promotion of an increased population -- in order to add more people to praise the glory of their god -- is clearly dangerous. Thinking beyond the spiritual and intellectual debates over the existence of god, it should be understood that these groups are self-serving and controlling entities. And of course, the total opposition to family-planning by several of the factions is very harmful to all of humanity.
When considering the question of what right these groups have to control society's activities, it is reasonable to reflect upon the following: If a god decreed, somewhat obsessively it might be noted, that people must not eat pork; or that they must attend Mass weekly; or that all women must cloak their bodies, isn't it reasonable to expect that this god would check in at least once every few years? So that mankind could be told how it was doing in obeying these rules, and how it was doing in caring for the planet.
Most of these organizations have their own secular and political agendas, some of them with virulent and intolerant activity. Therefore their property and their enterprises should not be tax-exempt. Strive to have the relevant tax laws changed. Additionally, the United States should not permit the money that is contributed to these religious groups to be deducted from the personal taxes owed by individuals. Work to have this changed. -> Oppose those large transnational economic interests, especially the major oil companies, that are promoting and causing unplanned human growth. This is a no-brainer. These corporations have their own plans, and those plans are most often not good for the planet. Conversely, support those businesses, when you can find them, that are truly friendly to the environment. -> Oppose any large-scale human activities, such as mass migrations, that contribute to further overpopulation. Most of the migrations that are occurring today is, sadly, being done by desperate people leaving their birth areas, which now cannot support added people; a pressure-relief activity.
Thus for us this means, out of necessity but not malice, to be supportive of those national policies that constrain such migrations. We no longer have the conditions of the earlier, historical times where people were able to migrate into open frontier lands. Those times are now finished. There are no more unpopulated, wide open and fertile territories to accept new humans. The emigration that is going on today, to Europe, to the United States, and to Russia is instead that of people being allowed into established countries, to often be the service workers, to be the cheap labor. This is not healthy. If the native countries of the people seeking a better life elsewhere cannot sustain and nurture their own population, then something is wrong.
4) Be honest and compassionate. Help people locally. Live humanely, and be generous and charitable. But do not contribute to organizations that globally help to fund continued population growth in countries than cannot even now support their people. Help to sensibly promote well-considered improvement activities in the undeveloped parts of the world.
And of course, run your own life as best you practically can in a responsible and Earth-friendly manner. Be environmentally smart, and be careful that you don't fool yourself with pretend gestures.
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Honest examination of the world situation is definitely necessary. Ignoring or downplaying the overpopulation crisis is harmful to humanity's ability to deal with reality in a clear-headed manner. Our major social institutions and our major religions have no effective mechanisms for addressing the problem, so the subject is often avoided.
This now-unfolding world emergency was evidently not an issue that was among the thoughts of the people who set up the practices of the world's predominant religions.
Understandably, this was not foreseen. Thus, other than declaring that we now have a looming and unavoidable apocalypse at our front door (or ignoring the matter), most of these faiths can offer almost no guidance.
For those who believe in nature, who believe in life and in the wonderful spiritual beauty of the world, the crushing burden that mankind is inflicting upon the planet should be a major concern.
Any time that we are discussing ecological issues, we need to have the overpopulation crisis spotlighted as being the underlying cause of the damage being done to our world.
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Another aspect of this situation also needs to be raised:
There is an entire sector of our society devoted to childbirth and to babies. It involves good people helping other good people do a good thing. Yet we are careening forward without ....?
Without what? ...a clue? ...control?
You can see the dilemma.
This sector contains people and organizations working -- existing -- to provide the needed goods and services to help with procreation, and the sector encompasses a significant part of our economy. From doctors and hospitals, to baby clothing makers and baby food companies.
Perhaps the population problem can be eased into conversation in a way that won't antagonize people. It is difficult.
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There's more below... but please also see the second section that's on the menu of this website....
The Future... for some more specific action ideas.
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Is Overpopulation really
a problem?
If you came to this site by means of Google, or if you have been reading up on the subject, you will have seen that there are many published articles promoting the opinion that there is, fundamentally, no problem with the number of people now on the planet. No overpopulation problem.
One of the key points of this position is that the overall rate of population growth -- the fertility rate -- will be declining by quite a bit in the near future. This declining rate may or may not occur as predicted, and at a sufficient pace to help. But now, into 2020, the world population increase continues at a very rapid clip, and at the top edge of UN projections. The reasons given for a declining rate -- a higher living standard occurring in less-developed countries, and a better understanding generally, through education -- would certainly help ease the problem, but if we do see a continued falling growth rate, this decline may instead be due more to issues of food and water. And may not be a very pleasant situation.
A modern activity: Efforts at good women's health, with a lower infant mortality, always worthy goals, are being promoted today in many poorer countries as a way of helping women decide to have fewer children. It appears, however, that as the infant mortality rate has dropped in some areas, the sizes of families in those areas have not immediately followed suit and dropped. The modification of societal habits is difficult, and takes time. We are in the midst of this crisis right now, so the lack of extra time is a pressing problem. And unfortunately, as noted earlier, the religions which run their operations by gathering up the largely uneducated people of the world -- and which thus want more bodies -- are still continuing to promote individual family growth. This in turn allows these religions to continue to hold sway, and is definitely a difficult situation to challenge.
So looking at the discussion. Another basic reason for these “no problem” articles that are seen in the media, and the “no problem” talk on the web, is this: Some of the people with money – and with a financial or a social interest in continuing on our current track – are underwriting much of the continued defense of this stance. And importantly, some organizations with money and influence are also aggressively promoting this position. But if you look a bit more closely, you will see that many of the Google links are to writings that date from the 1990s or earlier. After around 2005, the world situation became so clear – and so clearly dangerous – that the denial position has been harder to present without drawing ridicule.
Now. Regarding the creation of these “no problem” writings: Who, more specifically, are the people promoting this position, and why? Some, to be sure, are sincere, and truly believe – with their own logic – that there is no problem, or that the issue can be managed without causing lasting harm to the planet. Generally, it would seem that there are four types of denial promoters.
1) Those in research or educational institutions – who are
ultimately being funded by the entities controlling our present
social order. These opinion-crafters may generally believe in what
they are writing, but the dissemination of their ideas – and they
well know this – is being done with the money provided by those
who have used the current world structure to obtain their money
and of course want to have this stream of money continue.
2) The simple flacks – hired writers – who are being employed to
uncritically create promotional pieces and ads for the financial
interests that are controlling the status quo. As in: Global
warming? Overpopulation? Don't get too concerned about that
stuff – you'll give yourself a headache. Here, try this new fat-free
cookie.
3) The individuals and the organizations that are sincere in their
positions on this issue – but are mired in their own particular
circumstances which have them deeply involved on the wrong
side of the problem. On a personal level these people are the
saddest, and their opinions are often the most recalcitrant and
shrill as they defend not merely their beliefs, but their very
existence.
4) The independent true believers. They too should be looked
upon with some sympathy. Once a person has struck a position,
it is often difficult to accept that it may be wrong, even in the face
of strong evidence.
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Again.... What can we
actually do?
◊ Support effective Birth Control plans worldwide. Actively campaign against and counter those who are still opposing this strategy.
◊ Stop the financial support being given to those countries and those groups that are simply using the donated money to feed the growing number of people, worldwide, who are overwhelming their local resources. This is harsh but necessary. Caring people must move beyond just giving contributions to groups with pictures of big-eyed starving babies.
◊ Support social policies that will continue to encourage the lower birth-rates that are now occurring in many of the more educationally-advanced countries of the world. And support the individuals who are choosing to live their lives in accordance with this progressive thinking.
Ultimately, the unfolding situation may make it necessary to advocate the implementation of more difficult and stronger population-control policies. China, with its birth-control planning, has led the way in acknowledging and facing this challenge. China has had success through education, and through official legislation endorsing small families -- so much so that India (with its high birth-rate) will likely overtake China as the world's most populous country. Now, any planning that controls individuals regarding births is certainly ethically difficult to take up and support. Mankind's past has been wild and free. But our world is now very different. Physical coercion is not an acceptable option, and society should not have to consider it. But some individuals feel that any type of restraints at all are coercion, and not proper. This is muddled thinking and ethically wrong, given the situation. With social understanding and evaluation, and with some resulting decisions, clear financial strictures on the number of children per family may be appropriate throughout the world. And local community reproach is proper. This earth-threatening population problem definitely has to be taken up, and then solved. So that humanity has a future. The Future. So that coercion is not being contemplated in the future by a desperate mankind.
Having strict financial penalties is one straightforward method of encouraging birth control. Perhaps it should be that: in all cases, in every location, a woman having more than two children would not receive any assistance from society to help her further procreate. All aid being offered to less-developed countries would need to include this stipulation as a requirement before the aid would be given. Those who think and write that such a stance is racist or overbearing have a serious misunderstanding of the magnitude of the problem. In all places on the planet, by all means available, we must halt (and then lower) our increasing population. Later, if we survive, we can sit in our ivory towers or in our coffee shops and debate the ethics and merits of having taken steps to control people -- many of whom right now have no way of even knowing about the enormity of this problem.
Society must do its best to ensure that all of its members understand the depth of the crisis. Public discussion of potential population-growth scenarios should be effectively promoted, and appropriate solutions considered and then chosen. Action must be taken.
An update in 2021: We have a world population that is now just about eight billion people. This entire issue has truly become so alarmingly serious, with no simple solution, and with difficult problems looming -- and with no ethical way of defending what humanity is doing right now, harming the planet and its life -- that many media outlets have simply stopped even covering the problem. And are basically choosing to not delve into the various facets of the dilemma. Help to do what you reasonably can (Letters to the Editor, etc.) to get this matter into the news.
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Please look at The Future section of this site (click The Future box at the top, leftside) for additional ideas.
So.... Get off your butt !
The Population Problem
1736 Columbia Rd., NW
Suite 305
Washington, DC 20009
ph: 202-387-3431
populate