Foolish remarks by ignorant Christian fundamentalists about everyone being able to live in a city in Florida do nothing to educate or inform people who worry about the real problems we all face in this increasingly overpopulated world.

The rate of population growth in the world today is about 1.5%, and that means that by 2028 there will be about eight billion people on the planet, nine billion in 2054, and so on.

World population is growing exponentially, but it is constrained, of course, by the availability of food, water, and land.  As numbers increase and resources disappear, there will be a die-off from famine, disease, and natural disasters.  And those who survive would lead very different sorts of lives than people do today.

All in all, it is not a pleasant picture.

In any case, if the present rate of population growth continues, life on this planet will become progressively unendurable for all concerned.

At some point in future, perhaps, those humans still around will shake their heads and wonder why their predecessors didn't do something to stop this out of control growth when they still could.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Make_Room!_Make_Ro...!

Yes, you're right, Irene.  I never heard of this Duggar woman, so I didn't know what she'd said until I looked it up, but I agree that public figures can do a lot of harm when they make these sorts of patently stupid remarks.

That is why I was dismayed to see that several of the people running for president this year on the Republican ticket have been mouthing inanities like Santorum asking for a war to iradicate Islam, Ron Paul saying that famines in Africa are caused by socialism (!!!), or Romney's ideas about 'checking the evil regime of the ayatollahs' in Iran.

I do tend to think that the American people can see right through a lot of this nonsense, and would not think Michelle Duggar credible in any case. 

Apr 5, 2012 -- 7:07PM, Ken wrote:

Isn't Michelle Duggar (whom I'd never heard of until recently) just a hillbilly woman who's had too many kids and appears on a lousy cable channel?

Yes.

Apr 5, 2012 -- 7:07PM, Ken wrote:

Why would anybody take her seriously?

And I have no idea.

Sounds like we need more better wars.

Apr 5, 2012 -- 6:29PM, solfeggio wrote:

Foolish remarks by ignorant Christian fundamentalists about everyone being able to live in a city in Florida do nothing to educate or inform people who worry about the real problems we all face in this increasingly overpopulated world.

The rate of population growth in the world today is about 1.5%, and that means that by 2028 there will be about eight billion people on the planet, nine billion in 2054, and so on.

World population is growing exponentially, but it is constrained, of course, by the availability of food, water, and land.  As numbers increase and resources disappear, there will be a die-off from famine, disease, and natural disasters.  And those who survive would lead very different sorts of lives than people do today.

All in all, it is not a pleasant picture.

In any case, if the present rate of population growth continues, life on this planet will become progressively unendurable for all concerned.

At some point in future, perhaps, those humans still around will shake their heads and wonder why their predecessors didn't do something to stop this out of control growth when they still could.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Make_Room!_Make_Ro...!

 

The question is what would you like to do to control growth? Should we all be like China and limit the number of children and force abortions or sterilization if someone doesn't obey the rules? What measures would you advocate putting in place to control growth?