Letters to the Editor
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it's sort of a moot point...
Everything, that is. Let's see what happens in a few years, but as I see it, the future holds a dramatic reduction in human population, with or without our consent. Let's start now, by choice!
I don't quite know what to say to some comments here....
I'm not against taking care of the elderly at all, it's much better to spend our money on caring for them than, say, on bombs and bullets; one would hope that those who have spent decades poisoning their bodies with the various poisons our society offers will eventually be able to let go of their addictions while they still have some of their health. You know, quit smoking, eat healthy, exercise (if possible, I know some can't)
But ultimately, you gotta die. It doesn't need to be delayed for as long as possible at all costs. It just doesn't. Life has a 100% fatality rate. That's how things are meant to be.
Availability of education seems to be the major factor in how many children poorer women have, more so than availability of condoms. Not that access to birth control should be restricted. (and prenatal care should be available too, of course)
Since when is life fair? Learning that life isn't fair is one of life's most important lessons. Since when is China's policy fair? A one child policy in a country where everyone wants a boy results in what? As for population loss, it's defined as a problem by those who think constant growth is the norm. The economy and the population will grow and grow by a certain percentage a year until when? What happens say, seven generations down the line? What's actually wrong with having fewer people in countries where resource consumtion is high?
I just don't really get why, ultimately, with human overpopulation such a crushingly huge problem that feeds all the other crushingly huge problems we face today, folks have to go to such lengths to reproduce themselves. It looks kind of like an ego trip to me. The human family is just SO big right now, couldn't your individual family be just you and your spouse and friends for now? And if somebody's birth control fails then welcome that little one into the family? Or adopt from someone who didn't have access to birth control, or can't feed all their kids? (yes, I KNOW it isn't easy to adopt, if we look at it as an ideal maybe it will get easier) Not having to worry about bringing yet another child into the world every time you have sex with your loved one seems like something that shouldn't be so hard to look on the bright side of.
C'mon, folks, let's just ALL have fewer kids, just for a few decades! PLEASE!
Sorry if you don't like my starting the debate by suggesting that maybe the whole thing is a bad idea to begin with, but maybe it IS a bad idea to begin with.