Thursday, July 30, 2009

Overpopulation myth

The myth of overpopulation has been exploded so many times it is astonishing that you find people still banging on about it. Here's a nice video.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's Population x Consumption

The average child born in say UK will consume many times the earth's resources than say the average child in say Bangladesh.

The capacity of this planet is not infinite. The question is what is a sustainable level?

As Ghandhi said, there is enough in this world for everyone's need, but not for everyone's greed. Pope Benedict's latest encyclical has some good thoughts on this.

Anonymous said...

I agree, it's things like this that puts people off having kids.

Even today Government Minister Hilary Benn said that we must change our eating habits and attitudes to food since there will not be enough food to go round soon. I am sure this too will be used as a reason for not having kids.
The Church is aware of this it's one of the reasons why it is not unreasonable to promote the "Live Simply" campaign in our Churches since over consumption is closely linked to peoples attitude to having a family.

JWilson said...

Overpopulation?

Hogwash. In the USA, WE ARE STILL PAYING FARMERS NOT TO GROW FOOD.

go figure.

Stephen said...

I would suggest our planet is already overpopulated. Famine, and territorial wars are not a thing of the future (well, possibly if you live in Texas they are). Neither are irresponsible deforestation, habitat destruction, or global warming, all of which are increased by the greater demands created by a growing population.

These should not prevent couples from having families, but they should prompt these couples to think of the sustainability of large families. If everyone in the world had become Catholic in 1798, Malthus might have got his predictions right!

Hercules said...

Malthus wasn't wrong because people used contraception. He was writing in 1798, about what would happen by 1890, for heaven's sake.

What all these scaremongers have failed to understand is the way food production has grown, and populations have stabilised without the need for coercive intervention by governments.

Pope Leo XIII's Prayer to St Michael

Holy Michael, Archangel, defend us in the day of battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust down to Hell Satan, and all wicked spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen