I did my share of papers on recycling, solar energy, etc... Our public school was always on the forefront of the latest crisis calling for immediate government intervention. Hell, I even studied Solar Engineering in college (only 1 class away from a degree but then I wrecked my car. Opps!)

I was even a vegetarian for quite a while.

I got better

We must be twins!

I'm always astounded by those few occasions when I get back together with my HS friends. We were all the Science nerds and last gasp hippies (actually, the word was "Freaks") and all went on to college and working in similar fields. But a few never seemed to get out of the 70's. Now they are all grocery clerks or dishwashers or assistance collectors with degrees.

The attitudes and propensities of the 70's will be felt as a damage for decades into the future.

Agreed, and good point. IIRC, even food aid sent to certain countries doesn't make it to the people who need it - the ruling class tends to, uh, skim a little off the top. Or just take it.

With all the overpopulation talk, it's easy to forget what else is going on that affects the situation. Do you think (both of you 70's social-cause survivors) that the overpopulation thing is yet another information cascade?

Yeah...that really irks me too. Starving suffering people are held out to the world as the reason aid is needed, then tons of money and goods pour in to the region (some from other governments, some from compassionate people in the private sector), and military dictators keep it or give it to their buddies while the rest are left to die.



Well...on one level, yes. On another level, crisis is often used as a power/money grab.

I haven't done the math, but I know that there are now two problems, and when you add them together, it might be no huge insoluable problem at all.

Some areas have a destructively high birth rate.

But many European countries and a few other countries are not growing in native population. They have a negative growth rate.

Usually that is more than counteracted by the immigrant populations, but it means that the total number of humans on the planet is not growing as much as some populations might suggest.

Nonetheless, we do seem to be experiencing rapid growth, although the rate of growth has slowed somewhat. Again, it is a matter of Freedom, Education and Technology. The cultures where population growth is slowest is where those things are present.

When it comes to mainstream media/hype it's always doom.

Hype/doom sells.


Thriving on the negative; isn’t it essentially propaganda concerning what the general public WANTS to hear?!!??!!

The monies raised throughout the world on behalf of the impoverished countries, goes so much farther than what we'd ever see/hear on CNN, etc.
Not to say there's no need to contribute!!!
[sorry, I sound like a contradictionist here]

I know many, many missionaries,
[lets see...incl. families around 500-ish--don't know how many babies have come recently so this is a rough figure] I’m not talking off the cuff here.

I'm a financial supporter in a very large degree, thus have regular reports-updates, etc, so I see a lot of ....the other-side.

It breaks my heart, that the positive things that are being accomplished in impoverished countries, will never-ever make the 6:00 news.

It’s not news worthy .

As for overpopulation…
HAA!!!!

Just move to Saskatchewan...!
We have enough room to fit a couple of nations-at least! REALLY!!!

I’m so sick and tired of that old bullsh*t
I don’t, and will never buy the 'overpopulation crap,'

among other theories…

many, many, other theories.

Here is the population map I posted in another thread, which shows what all the overpopulation talk is all about.

Oh, you got it buddy!

Anyone who thinks the planet is running out of room has never had to drive across Kansas, Nebraska or Iowa.

But millions of people in the developed world ARE starving. It's insidious rather than apocalyptic, but it's very real.

I guess that depends on what you mean by "the developed world". Many people in Third World countries are starving. But they are not starving because of a lack of food as such, but rather from a lack of Freedom, Education and Technology. Many could grow food if they weren't busy fending off warlords who steal any aid sent their way.

Some hundreds of thousands are starving in isolated areas of the Free World, a statistical few even in the US, but again, not from a lack of food, but from a lack of Education. Every single one of them could have food if they knew how to get it. Most could get free food if they would ask.

That's why it's so hard to find charts like this one.

That's a great graph. I'm so saving it.

What I was really looking for was the one that shows that measured levels of CO2 in Artic ice follow the periodic rise and fall of temperature. I found it once on the NOAA site but was unable to find it again.

Keep the graphs coming, Baerdric. Thank you.

Wifezilla, I drove across Kansas. Once. Can't even find a joke in there. Dang.