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We've been worrying about the global population explosion. We may have been all wrong
Posted on 2/6/19 at 4:21 pm
Posted on 2/6/19 at 4:21 pm
LINK
quote:
You know the story. Despite technologies, regulations, and policies to make humanity less of a strain on the earth, people just won’t stop reproducing. By 2050 there will be 9 billion carbon-burning, plastic-polluting, calorie-consuming people on the planet. By 2100, that number will balloon to 11 billion, pushing society into a Soylent Green scenario. Such dire population predictions aren’t the stuff of sci-fi; those numbers come from one of the most trusted world authorities, the United Nations.
But what if they’re wrong? Not like, off by a rounding error, but like totally, completely goofed?
That’s the conclusion Canadian journalist John Ibbitson and political scientist Darrell Bricker come to in their newest book, Empty Planet, due out February 5th. After painstakingly breaking down the numbers for themselves, the pair arrived at a drastically different prediction for the future of the human species. “In roughly three decades, the global population will begin to decline,” they write. “Once that decline begins, it will never end.”
Posted on 2/6/19 at 4:23 pm to Jim Rockford
This is terrible. What are we going to do...
nvm don't care
quote:
By 2100
nvm don't care
Posted on 2/6/19 at 4:26 pm to Jim Rockford
Malthusianism was always a great litmus test on whether one should be taken seriously on ANYTHING ELSE.
The idea of "over population" of any species is all but an impossibility. Negative population growth has been a looming issue for the educated world for some time now. It's already done a number on Japan, and is starting to decimate Western Europe.
The idea of "over population" of any species is all but an impossibility. Negative population growth has been a looming issue for the educated world for some time now. It's already done a number on Japan, and is starting to decimate Western Europe.
Posted on 2/6/19 at 4:26 pm to Jim Rockford
The wife and I have already bred our replacements so we did our part.
Posted on 2/6/19 at 4:28 pm to Jim Rockford
quote:
By 2100
Damn... I'll be 120
Posted on 2/6/19 at 4:32 pm to Y.A. Tittle
quote:
Malthusianism was always a great litmus test on whether one should be taken seriously on ANYTHING ELSE.
Exactly. Unless there is some kind of government intervention, the laws of supply and demand typically cause populations to increase only at the rate that the resources allow for. Basically, if people can't afford to feed the family they have, outside of some government-compelling factor, the bulk of people choose not to have more kids. At the same time, as prices go up, the incentives to find ways to generate more resources from the same raw materials increases until breakthroughs and inventions are made, increasing the carrying capacity, lower prices, and affordability for a larger generation to follow.
In countries that industrialize, there is a rapid boom in population. However, as the following generations become more educated and affluent, population growth stagnates and eventually collapses as families have fewer and fewer children.
We keep expecting the 3rd world to continue to reproduce exponentially, but as nations like India, Pakistan, China, and Indonesia become increasingly modern, their birth rates are starting to slow down, much like the Western nations during the 1970's after the Baby Boom was over.
Malthusianism (outside of things like unmanaged fisheries), is largely a myth and usually depends on faulty assumptions that humans do not reproduce based on supply and demand.
Posted on 2/6/19 at 4:32 pm to Jim Rockford
I agree with the article, except for them saying that population growth, once negative, will continue to be a greater negative.
Posted on 2/6/19 at 4:40 pm to Jim Rockford
quote:
of the most trusted world authorities, the United Nations.
quote:
Canadian journalist John Ibbitson and political scientist Darrell Bricker
Posted on 2/6/19 at 4:40 pm to Jim Rockford
Soooo are we needing to buy the book to get the answer??
Not how it works around here
Not how it works around here
Posted on 2/6/19 at 6:24 pm to Jim Rockford
Africa's population will double by 2050. Europe is screwed, especially if this open border policy continues
Posted on 2/6/19 at 6:37 pm to Jim Rockford
Population is out of control. No it’s not. Milk is bad. No it’s good. Don’t feed your baby peanuts too early. Must feed baby peanuts immediately. Global warming is out of control. Record breaking cold let’s call it climate change. Weed is fine. Weed makes you retarded. Women love dad bods. Your wife cheated on you because of your dad bod. Autism is an epidemic. Never mind we just made it easier to diagnose everyone with autism. Millennials eat more arse than previous generations. This is actually probably true.
Posted on 2/6/19 at 6:38 pm to Coach Buzzcut
That's covered in the article. Africa's growth rate is also projected to slow.
Posted on 2/6/19 at 6:40 pm to Jim Rockford
To quote the great Harvey Danger:
quote:
Been around the world and found
That only stupid people are breeding.
The cretins cloning and feeding,
Posted on 2/6/19 at 6:55 pm to Phil A Sheo
quote:
By 2100
Damn... I'll be 120
Well I’ll only be 110!
Posted on 2/6/19 at 7:41 pm to Jim Rockford
Good. Can't start the reduction soon enough.
Posted on 2/6/19 at 7:48 pm to Jim Rockford
Population needs to decline, humanity is a cancer upon this earth. We don’t need more people, there’s nothing good that comes from it.
Posted on 2/6/19 at 8:01 pm to LordSaintly
Our alien overlords will be here long before then to harvest us.
Posted on 2/6/19 at 8:03 pm to deltaland
quote:Subtle O Brother Where Art Thou reference
By 2100
Damn... I'll be 120
Well I’ll only be 110!

Posted on 2/6/19 at 8:05 pm to Jim Rockford
quote:
those numbers come from one of the most trusted world authorities, the United Nations.

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