Reply #12: So how would you deal with human overpopulation? [View All]

[blindpig]

Deny it? "Grow" our way out of it? Wait for education and prosperity to catch up to reality? Got news for ya, there is little if any time left for any solution that is humane and recognizes any of the rights that we hold dear. That the Chinese program has problems is not denied, I for one would like to see more carrot and less stick. It has nonetheless been successful in greatly curbing China's population growth and this cannot but be beneficial to the society as a whole. I for one would see this policy implemented worldwide though fine tuned with an eye toward individual rights.

These are no ordinary times. Human overpopulation is striking a blow against life on this planet that has not been seen since that comet whacked the dinosaurs. However, if you feel that ignoring the problem and waiting for the inevitable die off of our species after we've screwed up everything else is preferable to attempting a program that while not perfect tries to be fair then go ahead. That the accident of our mammalian ancestry puts the onus of any sort of reproductive policy on the female half of our species is something that greater minds than mine desperately need to sort out. Sterilization of males after the first livebirth of a child of their seed presents its own set of problems but is certainly on the table. If you can think of anything better please tell me.