Quite right! It's rather like having my neighbour lashing out on a new Jaguar and expecting me to pay his fuel bills only to call me a tight ass when I refuse :roll:
Regards,
Jay.
Regards,
Jay.
I Love Thomas Malthus
- Thread starter deathmetal
- Start date
- Status
I have found that with complex subjects that require much information gathering in order to form an opinion, it is usually much easier to determine what is not true than it is to determine what is true.
The problem is how to know what information to trust when science in general has become so politicized. Personally I do not trust the prevailing, "official" doctrines regarding issues such as overpopulation, "climate change" and resource scarcity. Can I claim to know the absolute truth on these issues? No, of course not...but I can recognize propaganda when I see it, and my reaction to it is to seek out alternative views.
IMO, the below statements made by President Eisenhower in his farewell address are highly relevant to these types of questions:
The problem is how to know what information to trust when science in general has become so politicized. Personally I do not trust the prevailing, "official" doctrines regarding issues such as overpopulation, "climate change" and resource scarcity. Can I claim to know the absolute truth on these issues? No, of course not...but I can recognize propaganda when I see it, and my reaction to it is to seek out alternative views.
IMO, the below statements made by President Eisenhower in his farewell address are highly relevant to these types of questions:
You gents are all heady and intellectual and stuff. I was just into the idea of embracing fears instead of letting them keep us away from delicious tobacco. That, and wanting to feast on the entrails of the foolish and foolhardy, I guess.
Uh...perhaps I Love Thomas Malthus wasn't the best choice for a thread title then. :mrgreen:
As for embracing fears, I'm all for it...but unfortunately I can't find any fear associated with pipe smoking. I guess I'll have to adopt some far riskier behavior, like eating more highly processed chemically laden food or something.
I admit, I am a bit dystopia. I am slightly concerned about catastrophic disasters, plagues and the possibility of unfriendly aliens ;-)
Employing some flawed and unsound logic, I have come to the conclusion that many of us will live through a time much like was portrayed in Soylent Green, Zardoz, V for Vendetta or possibly The Matrix.
I understand that humanity is a bit more resilient. than I give them/us credit for.
Despite this, I really do have a concern that is a bit more political and economic.
I believe that the entire world can't have/sustain the "good life" we live in North America, Western Europe, Japan, Australia and a few other places.
In high school, we were taught this and I believe that it is relatively true.
It is relatively true that approximately 20% of the world's population utilizes 80% of the world's resources while the remaining 80% of the world's population share the remaining 20% of the world's resources. One only needs to spend time traveling in Asia and Latin America to know this. I imagine Africa as well, though I haven't been there.
I'm not making a moral judgement - I don't have a problem with that. I'm not suggesting that everyone is entitled to a cell phone, free college, a car and unlimited access to shopping malls...
I think that China, India and Russia/Eastern-Europe Will be competing intensely for some limited and perceived finite resources over the next thirty+ years All three can't win.
Whether renewable energy resources, fresh water etc are really as scarce as "they" say is beyond me... I do believe that they will be perceived and allocated as scarce either way.
Employing some flawed and unsound logic, I have come to the conclusion that many of us will live through a time much like was portrayed in Soylent Green, Zardoz, V for Vendetta or possibly The Matrix.
I understand that humanity is a bit more resilient. than I give them/us credit for.
Despite this, I really do have a concern that is a bit more political and economic.
I believe that the entire world can't have/sustain the "good life" we live in North America, Western Europe, Japan, Australia and a few other places.
In high school, we were taught this and I believe that it is relatively true.
It is relatively true that approximately 20% of the world's population utilizes 80% of the world's resources while the remaining 80% of the world's population share the remaining 20% of the world's resources. One only needs to spend time traveling in Asia and Latin America to know this. I imagine Africa as well, though I haven't been there.
I'm not making a moral judgement - I don't have a problem with that. I'm not suggesting that everyone is entitled to a cell phone, free college, a car and unlimited access to shopping malls...
I think that China, India and Russia/Eastern-Europe Will be competing intensely for some limited and perceived finite resources over the next thirty+ years All three can't win.
Whether renewable energy resources, fresh water etc are really as scarce as "they" say is beyond me... I do believe that they will be perceived and allocated as scarce either way.
Most civilizations perish, so your concerns are intelligent and realistic. You should probably add to them the possibility of internal collapse, which seems to destroy most civilizations.
The standard distribution raises its ugly head yet again... and still, it is less ugly than the alternative.
"Most civilizations perish, so your concerns are intelligent and realistic. You should probably add to them the possibility of internal collapse, which seems to destroy most civilizations."
I've always been a firm believer that we will destroy ourselves in due course. Whether it be through warfare or man made disease we will ultimately bring about our own downfall.
We watched the tragedy unfold
We did as we were told
We were bought and sold
It was the greatest show on earth
But then it was over
We ohhed and aahed
We drove our racing cars
We ate our last few jars of caviar
And somewhere out there in the stars
A keen-eyed look-out
Spied a flickering light
Our last hurrah
And when they found our shadows
Grouped around the TV sets
They ran down every lead
They repeated every test
They checked out all the data on their lists
And then the alien anthropologists
Admitted they were still perplexed
But on eliminating every other reason
For our sad demise
They logged the only explanation left
This species has amused itself to death
No tears to cry no feelings left
This species has amused itself to death.
Regards,
Jay.
I've always been a firm believer that we will destroy ourselves in due course. Whether it be through warfare or man made disease we will ultimately bring about our own downfall.
We watched the tragedy unfold
We did as we were told
We were bought and sold
It was the greatest show on earth
But then it was over
We ohhed and aahed
We drove our racing cars
We ate our last few jars of caviar
And somewhere out there in the stars
A keen-eyed look-out
Spied a flickering light
Our last hurrah
And when they found our shadows
Grouped around the TV sets
They ran down every lead
They repeated every test
They checked out all the data on their lists
And then the alien anthropologists
Admitted they were still perplexed
But on eliminating every other reason
For our sad demise
They logged the only explanation left
This species has amused itself to death
No tears to cry no feelings left
This species has amused itself to death.
Regards,
Jay.
That is Huxley's thesis, and I think it correct, more than Orwell.
Still, many of us do not want to go gently into that good night, or surrender our Royal Yacht.
Perhaps I can leave you with something in turn:
"Still, many of us do not want to go gently into that good night, or surrender our Royal Yacht."
For the vast majority there will be no say in the matter and most certainly no choice. And with the current political thinking that is not going to change.
I can't offer a solution but the way things are we are all going to hell in a handcart yet we will blithely sit by and slowly watch it happen.
Regards,
Jay.
For the vast majority there will be no say in the matter and most certainly no choice. And with the current political thinking that is not going to change.
I can't offer a solution but the way things are we are all going to hell in a handcart yet we will blithely sit by and slowly watch it happen.
Regards,
Jay.
- Status