Difference between revisions of "Overpopulation"

From RationalWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 4: Line 4:
  
 
==Overpopulation denialism==
 
==Overpopulation denialism==
[[Denialism]] of overpopulation is common within [[fundamentalist]] [[Christianity]], as well as the [[Catholic Church]], who see any discussion of the issue as a violation of the Biblical commandment to "be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth". {{
+
[[Denialism]] of overpopulation is common within [[fundamentalist]] [[Christianity]], as well as the [[Catholic Church]], who see any discussion of the issue as a violation of the Biblical commandment to "be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth". </ref>
http://www.envoymagazine.com/backissues/2.3/coverstory.html}}
+
http://www.envoymagazine.com/backissues/2.3/coverstory.html</ref>
  
 
It is also common within the political [[leftism|left]], who shout down any discussion of the issue as a suspected cover for [[racism]] and [[eugenics]]. {{fact}}
 
It is also common within the political [[leftism|left]], who shout down any discussion of the issue as a suspected cover for [[racism]] and [[eugenics]]. {{fact}}

Revision as of 06:16, 3 August 2010

Overpopulation is the state of any species exceeding, in numbers, the ecological carrying capacity of its ecosystem.

Ecological carrying capacity is established scientific fact, but often denied, or more usually, ignored in the pursuit of endless economic growth.

Overpopulation denialism

Denialism of overpopulation is common within fundamentalist Christianity, as well as the Catholic Church, who see any discussion of the issue as a violation of the Biblical commandment to "be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth". </ref> http://www.envoymagazine.com/backissues/2.3/coverstory.html</ref>

It is also common within the political left, who shout down any discussion of the issue as a suspected cover for racism and eugenics.[citation needed]

There also exists a conspiracy theory that overpopulation is a cover issue for a plot to reduce the human population through genocide[citation needed]; this conspiracy theory is sometimes advanced, for example, by AIDS conspiracy theorists (who believe AIDS was created in a CIA lab to depopulate Africa), as well as perennial wingnut candidate Lyndon LaRouche.

The most common and popular form of overpopulation denialism these days, however, comes from the influence of free market economists, such as The Wall Street Journal, and the late Julian Simon (who is popular among libertarians)[citation needed]. This form of denialism teaches there are "no limits to growth", and is associated with the view that economic growth can and should continue indefinitely, and that continued economic growth depends on a perpetually growing human population. It is also closely tied to excessive optimism over globalization and technology, as well as economic deregulation. These views are collectively sometimes referred to as "cornucopian" - in that they believe there is an endless supply of matter to support an ever-growing population and economy. It denies the fact that at some point, the consumption demand will run up against natural limits in supply.

Another form of denialism comes from those on the other extreme of the issue, who believe carrying capacity is set in stone and deny that the carrying capacity can be increased due to science and advances in technology increasing food output, and from easier access to energy[citation needed]; see the "failed predictions" section below.

Failed predictions

On the other side of the coin, the scientific fact of overpopulation has led, in the past, to rash and inaccurate predictions of impending world famine which erred on the side of sensationalism over sober analysis. Thomas Malthus, one of the earliest to theorize about overpopulation, wrote in 1798 that the population would grow exponentially while the food supply would only grow arithmetically. During the 1960s, Paul Ehrlich predicted massive famine by the 1970s. Neither happened, although Ehrlich is a respected scientist and time will tell whether his prediction was completely off base or merely premature. (His prediction was also based on the assumption that the birth rate in the United States and other western countries would continue at high Baby Boom levels, and may well have been postponed by the birth rate dropping to near-replacement levels due to the sexual revolution and the related widespread availability of birth control, as well as by the "green revolution" in agricultural techniques increasing food output.)

Hard green ideologues, some of whom see humanity itself as a polluting influence on the earth, tend to be the biggest offenders in this area.

Solutions

Finding a solution to human overpopulation is difficult, in that it essentially requires people to reproduce in fewer numbers, something they may be unwilling to do, and any success is likely to be a very gradual process. Greater awareness of and access to contraception around the world would help promote population control, although this is opposed by some cultures and religions, particularly the Roman Catholic Church.

The People's Republic of China's response to its populations problems is the one-child policy, instituted and enforced since 1979, but this has been controversial as a human rights issue, as well as for its economic and societal consequences.

Another fairly extreme response is the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement, which advocates that people everywhere should voluntarily desist from procreating so that humanity can become extinct and the world can recover from the damage we have caused it.

The demographic transition model holds that as nations transition from low-income, undeveloped nations to high-income, developed nations, their birth rate and death rate both drop. This model posits five stages, and in the fifth and last stage of demographic transition, population levels off and reaches a state of zero or negative population growth. With increased prosperity comes greater autonomy for women in society, better access to family planning and birth control, women entering the workplace and limiting their number of children, and more free flow of information (with the effect of secularizing the society and lessening the influence of religions which promote large families); conversely however, during the middle stages of the demographic transition the death rate drops faster than the birth rate, causing a temporary increase in population. Countries like Japan, and much of Europe, are at or near the final stage, and have achieved a state of zero-to-negative population growth without any need for coercive policies such as China's.

Movies!

What to do about the excessive deer population

External Links