is population growth a good thing?

[The Templar]

Originally posted by mrmitchell
Economically and politically, population growth is good, and so is immigration. It's more people--more people that can produce and consume more goods. What's wrong with that?

See my above posts
Even if there were no environmental costs to increasing population, population numbers should be optimal - not maximal. The two numbers differ.

Environmentally, population growth can be okay if the children are not Earth-raping corporate whores, of course.

Better yet, less than 2 kids per person. A few decades of birth rates under the replacement rates would do us good.

[Imran Siddiqui]

What people have to remember is that technology is changing the 'footprint' that the average person has on the planet all the time, and it's almost always a smaller footprint.

This is true. With advanced technology, population growth becomes less and less harmful.

Anyway, population growth is not always bad. Growth in, say, European countries would not have the devestating effects as growth in India would have, for instance. It depends on the circumstances.

[Dis]

What worries me is all the smart people are not reproducing, but all the ignorant and/or dumb people are breeding like rabbits.

And don't take that as racist- I know some of you lefties like to throw that term around. Intelligent minorities in america aren't having enough children as well.

I see nothing but doom and gloom for the future of the world. There will not be enough talent, and waaaay too many people putting a strain on the system.

[:) Smiley]

I doubt that will be a problem, we just gotta hold out long enough for genetic engineering to become widespread, and those problems of survival of more than just the fittest will be over.

Frankly I'm more concerned about the "lost in the numbers" psychological problems, as there is no technical fix for demographics. As each person represents a smaller and smaller portion of the whole, they tend to feel more insecure and act more apathetically. Those who've attended large universities probably know what I'm talking about.

[Dis]

well genetic engineering could change things indeed. But I don't think it will be legal in most countries.

I do predict a decline in civilization. Eventually after widespread "cleansing" by mother nature. Things will begin to pick up again.

[Drake Tungsten]

American babies -

Chinese babies -

[St Leo]

The Voluntary Human Extinction Movement

Heh.

[St Leo]

Human babies
Bonobo babies

j/k

[:) Smiley]

Once one nation legalizes genetic engineering, the rest will follow or fall behind.

[mindseye]

is population growth a good thing?

If anyone is still unclear on the answer to this, come spend an afternoon here in China.

You can change subways trains with me at Peoples Square Station at 5:30pm.