I'm not buying the idea that humans can have an effect
on global climate. (aside from a major nuclear war...)

Small changes over a long period of time can have a big effect.


then I REALLY get creeped out when people start talking
about lowering the world population. For that, They Go First;
they can set us an example, show us how truly caring they
are about it.

Fact: There are too many people. If population continues to grow unchecked,
"something" will eventually happen to reduce it -- global war, starvation,
economic collapse, perhaps things we haven't anticipated. THE EARTH DOES NOT
HAVE AN UNLIMITED CARRYING CAPACITY. We can choose to do something rational
about it -- or ignore it.

One way to have fewer people is to give birth to fewer people. This is
generally happening in developed countries -- which is fortunate, because
people with high standards of living tend to use too much energy and consume
too many natural resources.

Something needs to be done about developing countries. You've seen the ads
asking you to send money to help starving children who have only feces-laden
water to drink. I'm certain most of the agencies trying to help the poor are
sincere and doing the best job they can.

These ads are about "death control" -- keeping people healthy and alive,
when they otherwise might have died. But you never see anything about "birth
control". If poor people want medical assistance, they should have to pay
for it -- by practicing birth control. If they refuse to, then they don't
get help -- and they and their children die. You can consciously practice
birth control with contraception -- or you can let nature do it, with
disease and death. Make your choice.

The thing that makes human beings distinct from other animals is that we can
drastically manipulate our environment to provide enough nutrition to
produce a seemingly unlimited number of additional people -- which is
largely what we've done since the invention of agriculture and animal
husbandry. * We KNOW we will eventually reach the point where there will be
too many people to feed. At some point, human beings -- in all countries, at
all economic levels -- need to be FORCED to have fewer children. Enough
fewer, so that global population begins to decline.

You don't want me to take away people's freedom to destroy themselves? Fine.
On a certain level, I really don't care. The world doesn't need "the damned
human race".


* Aboriginal Americans are a good example of people who /did not/ live this
way.