[DISCLAIMER] These are notmy views! Don’t come around atatcking me if you’re angry. I merely wondered what this would be like and if it would work [/DISCLAIMER]
Would the world be a better place if for 20 years people stopped procreating? I’m not talking abotu aborting everything that comes down the chute or an end to sex. I am talking about worldwide use of birth control.
Where would the world be? Would there be less crime? More crime? Less or more peace? Would we extend the length of our stay here on earth?
What do you think? Feel free to add anything I didn’t cover (which is plenty).
OK, I’ll bite. Overpopulation is NOT a problem any more. We know that the birth rate is going down worldwide, even in third world countries. In developed countries the birth rate is at replacement, or even negative.
So the whole premise that we need radical population control measures is flawed.
Anyway, I’m more interested in what would happen if everyone on earth started wearing green leprechuan costumes and hiding pots o’gold at the end of the rainbow. Would there be less crime, because everyone would be hiding the pots o’gold, or more crime, because people would always be stumbling over already hidden pots o’gold when they were looking for their own hiding places? What would be the environmental consequeces if everyone tried to find isolated spots to hide their pots o’gold?
I’m not talking about stopping overpopulation. Just the effects on the whole world if we had no new people for 20 years.
Sorry if I didn’t make it clear. But I had no intention to make this a debate about combating overpopulation.
Add this book to your reading list: The Children of Men, by P.D. James. Haven’t read it myself, but I understand that it directly addresses your question.
Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Read the premise of the book I just mentioned, and this news might not seem so comforting!
Well obviously, one of the very first things that would happen is that everyone would realize that eavesdropping on one’s neighbors from international waters is simply impolite, and of course it would cease and desist immediately. After all, snooping around for other people’s pots o’ gold is the height of rudeness, and the leprechuan outfits will facilitate people’s understanding of this truth.
Well, there would be huge economic impact. As people died off, there would be no new consumers to replace them. Markets for children’s toys, clothes, food, entertainment, etc…, would disappear. And of course, twenty years after the trend got started, much of the workforce would be gone. In my opinion, civilization would probably collapse, except that people would quickly realize that this wasn’t a good idea in the first place.
OK, I’ll bite. Overpopulation is NOT a problem any more. We know that the birth rate is going down worldwide, even in third world countries. In developed countries the birth rate is at replacement, or even negative.**
Could I see a citation for this please?
Anyway, I’m more interested in what would happen if everyone on earth started wearing green leprechuan costumes and hiding pots o’gold at the end of the rainbow. Would there be less crime, because everyone would be hiding the pots o’gold, or more crime, because people would always be stumbling over already hidden pots o’gold when they were looking for their own hiding places? What would be the environmental consequeces if everyone tried to find isolated spots to hide their pots o’gold?
Okay, I’ll be happy to do this, as long as I don’t have to hawk breakfast cereal as part of the deal, okay? I look smashing in green and can do an effective Irish brogue if necessary. Better yet, I’m learning Gaelic, that’ll confuse the suckers!
