OVERPOPULATION -- A GLOOMY FORECAST

At the end of the century, from a report issued by the Population Institute (Dec 1998), the earth's population increased by 78 million that year, and reached a total of six billion in October of the same year. Ninety seven percent of the increase occurred in poor nations already burdened with economic, environmental, public health and other problems, and to make matters worse, 58 countries, 43 of them in Africa and 12 in Asia, have fertility rates of five or more children per woman.

However, to balance this, scientists have reported that more advanced countries are experiencing a stabilizing of population growth, and have discovered an overall lowering of the fertility rate for humans...resulting in the decline of numbers of births as replacement for number of deaths in those areas.

Where did that come from? Advances in birth control education have made much progress, but from whence comes the fertility rate decline? Is it environmental ? sociological ? induced by nature ? orchestrated by Aliens ? All of the above ?

Don't laugh....it is thought by many that regardless of the balancing or possible "leveling" of world population at around 6 billion, we may have already surpassed a survivable future population level for planet Earth. Have you considered the Earths population as you look at the daily news ?

Aids? Bizarre disease, viruses ? War ? angry, violent behavior from children ? decline in school efficiency ? failing economic programs ? environmental issues ? the destruction of the Rain forests? the declining state of coral reefs of the world ? need I list more ?

WAR ...result of over population ?

North Korea is in the grip of a "famine in slow motion," according to a representative of the World Food Program. The famine began with severe floods and has continued ever since as an almost Biblical run of bad luck has hit the communist nation -- floods, droughts, repeated crop failures. No one is sure how many have died of starvation. The North Korean government recently put the number at 220,000; but South Korean and U.S. sources say that over 2 million have perished.

What is most worrying to some observers is the fact that an estimated 63% of North Korean children are undernourished, with some 16% of children 7 years old or younger suffering acute malnutrition. Thousands of toddlers are too weak to take their first steps. Dr. Hoang Thi Van, a Vietnamese World Food Program emergency officer, estimates that 50% of these youngsters may be permanently stunted. Thousands of grade-schoolers are too weak to concentrate on their studies.

Is North Korea desparate, and more willing to assert themselves politically, even to the point of war, in order to find a solution to their miseries ? Can overpopulation lead to social disruption, violence, political unrest, and even war ?

Current plight of young people.... "generation X'ers and slackers"

"Two students, identified as Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, entered Columbine High School carrying numerous firearms and homemade bombs, and began a rampage that left fifteen dead and more than 20 others seriously injured. The two reportedly killed with sadistic glee, whooping and laughing as they riddled fellow students with bullets. They seemed intent on singling out athletes and ethnic minorities, but anyone could be a target. In one instance, according to an eyewitness, they entered a room and yelled, "Does anyone here believe in God?" A young woman stood up and was promptly shot dead.

It has been observed that many young people today have low aspirations for the future. Many people -- children and adults alike -- believe that the current teen generation cannot expect, on average, to earn as much money or be as secure in adulthood as their parents. The world at the turn of the millennium is fraught with uncertainty and foreboding. Many youths are painfully aware of environmental destruction, economic turmoil and other factors that the typical adult often ignores in the bustle of daily activity. Such awareness may breed despair and dark fatalism in many young people. One consequence is that teen suicides in the U.S. have become shockingly numerous -- some three times the rate seen in the early 1960s.

TV.....out of control ?

It has been observed that children in America see thousands of brutally violent acts portrayed on television (and video games) every year -- and that the typical teen spends up to 20 times more hours in front of television than in direct contact with their parents. Sociologists and psychologists are divided on whether or not there is a causal relationship between fantasy violence on TV and in song lyrics, and real violence acted out by young people. Intuitively, it seems likely that such a correlation exists. But no one can say how violence could be rooted out of the entertainment media, when the paying audience for violence is so large, and the appetite for more extreme depictions of violence keeps growing. (ref: Michael Lindeman)

What has happened to the supervision, guidance and teaching of young people? Is this related to the trend in recent decades of working moms, who must help provide income for an ever increasing demand on middle class families? Are the children of today being neglected, left at home alone, as parents strive to maintain a quality and standard of living at the expense of the children's emotional development ? As we rush toward the future, stress and uncertainty seem inescapable. Violence on TV and video games is matched by the authentic violence of crime and even terrorism in our own country.. Many young people look with disdain upon an adult culture that seems self-absorbed, apathetic,and having little conviction in pursuing action against foreign nations that openly swear death to the USA in public statements, and encourage terrorism and anti US political propaganda and activities.

What does it all mean ?

The design of the human species does not include perfection. We definitely have limitations, and in this case, should we consider that one of our human limitations may be concerning our potential to govern masses of people beyond a certain level of numbers? Furthermore, has our population overstressed the environment beyond its capabilities to support life in a healthy manner at these levels ?

Well, as I have previously stated many times, I don't have all the answers, and furthermore, I don't even have all the questions....but in this case, I can't help but take serious note of my observations of significant changes for the worse in our human condition as our earths population has grown over the years. Logic and common sense indicate a cause and effect relationship in these factors as I have observed them over the years of my life.

There are just too damned many people on this earth, and I don't know what to do about it...but I fear that mother nature, and the dark side of human nature have some not too pretty solutions in store for us....

Doom and gloom ?? Well, folks, it ain't roses and apple pie that's in store for us in the future forecast. Fasten your seat belts. It'll get worse before it gets better...........Rich (paratexas.com)