How do you feel about overpopulation?

[Kidlicious]

Why? Isn't it more obvious that we are extreme over consumers?

One comes before the other. If we weren't overpopulated we wouldn't consume too much, from an economics and ecological stand point.

[Zoetstofzoetje]

What´s overpopulation? The world is a big place and not everybody is accustomed to the same living standards. It would locally hurt more to have another 3 million people in the Netherlands than it would hurt to have another 100 million Chinese in China.

[giblets]

If something were to happen to a good chunk of the earths people productivity would increase dramatically. Resources like oil would be abundant. Living standards would become very high, for all the people of the earth.

This claim is based on what, exactly?

[Archbob]

WWIII will sort out any such issues

I will solve them myself.

[Kidlicious]

This claim is based on what, exactly?

Living standards (quality of life) has been decreasing for a long time (since overpopulation began). Of course it's increasing as well due to technological improvements. Think of oil. The price keeps going up, although there are technological improvements along the way which have kept it's from getting higher. That's just one scarce resource. There are many more.

[giblets]

Living standards (quality of life) has been decreasing for a long time (since overpopulation began). Of course it's increasing as well due to technological improvements. Think of oil. The price keeps going up, although there are technological improvements along the way which have kept it's from getting higher. That's just one scarce resource. There are many more.

So you think it's decreasing and increasing at the same time? Also, how do you get from "we have limited natural resources" to "if we acheived far more natural resources per person by killing of much of the world's population, we'd have a much higher standard of living"?

[Kidlicious]

Just go on thinking that's there aren't enough people.

[giblets]

I never said we needed more people...

[Kidlicious]

I never said we needed more people...

Well go on thinking that we have just the right amount then.

[Sava]

I would say that the Earth is only "overpopulated" with regards to our political economy's ability to adequately provide for our needs.

The political economy has not kept pace with technology. Our primary medium of exchange, currency, is probably as old as the Pyramids.

In Western Civilization, the most heralded (arguably) economic ideology is perhaps close to 400 years old.

The planet is not overpopulated in the sense that the accessible elements cannot meet the population's needs. Our overpopulation is a political crisis. The economy cannot efficiently move goods and services to meet the world's needs.

[giblets]

What is our most heralded economic ideology and how did it exist in the 17th century?

[Sava]

capitalism

oh, and aliens, DUH

[giblets]

Okay, so you're saying capitalism is outdated because you consider it unsuitable for a world with 7 billion people. Got it.

[Sava]

Okay, so you're saying capitalism is outdated because you consider it unsuitable for a world with 7 billion people. Got it.

As poorly as BK comprehends most other people's posts, I at least get the sense he reads them.

[giblets]

Sorry, I was trying to discern an actual point or argument from your post. It wasn't clear to me, but maybe that's because I was looking for something that wasn't there.