- "The idea of perpetual growth is embraced with religious
fervor by mainstream economists and other worshipers of 'Progress' - the
material sort of progress, that is... Our students are society's next generation-in-power.
We owe it to them, to society at large, and to posterity to help students
build their expectations on a realistic basis. Exponential growth needs
to be seen as a severely time-limited process, for which costs must be
paid. Growth is ultimately limited by the environment, a truth that ecologists
encapsulate in the concept of 'carrying capacity'." --Dr. Garrett
Hardin
-
- Americans dilly-dally with a continued sense of entitlement
as to growth, energy and resources. As the price of gas rises toward $4.00
per gallon, they are about to get their britches twisted into a knot.
-
- It's not like we haven't been warned by the likes of
Dr. Albert Bartlett of the University of Colorado who talks about the "Exponential
growth equation" and how it cannot continue. (www.albartlett.org )
It's not that we haven't heard from Dr. Paul Ehrlich when he said, "All
causes are lost causes without limiting human population."
-
- Let's hear from the late Dr. Garrett Hardin when he told
the story about "The Feast of Malthus: living within limits."
(www.TheGarrettHardinSociety.org)
-
- "For a few decades after the publication of Malthus's
celebrated essay in 1798, population was much discussed in England,"
said Hardin, " then at about the middle of the 19th century it
- became overshadowed by more narrowly economic problems.
In the 20th century Malthus has, so to speak, been buried every year by
his commentators -only to be dug up again the following year. Exactly why Malthus
is so often repudiated is not clear because the funeral orations typically
amount to little more than one brutal word: Discredited! Reviewing
many criticisms I have come to the conclusion that a single paragraph in
Malthus accounts for much of the rejectors' passion.
-
- "The offending passage occurs only in the second
edition of his essay. Had Malthus retained this paragraph and justified
it adequately in subsequent editions I think we would have been spared
nearly two hundred years of unproductive brawling.
-
- "As I see it, Malthus walked right past the heart
of the population problem. In presenting my conclusions I shall follow
the advice of the physicist George Uhlenbeck (1900-1988), who said: "First
tell us what the problem is; then state your conclusions at once. Only
thereafter should you go into details" The problem is simply this:
can the necessity of population control be reconciled with the apparent
demands ofindividualism, as that complex concept has developed since John
Locke? I conclude that there is a fatal contradiction between these two
necessities; and that the survival of civilization will require us to
modify significantly the powers we now grant to individual "rights."
This social revolution will be painful, but it cannot, I think, be
- successfully evaded. Here is the offending paragraph
of Malthus:
-
- A man who is born into a world already possessed, if
he cannot get subsistence from his parents on whom he has a just demand,
and if the society do not want his labour, has no claim of right to the
smallest portion of food, and, in fact, has no business to be where he
is. At nature's mighty feast there is no vacant cover for him. She tells
him to be gone, and will quickly execute her own orders, if he does not
work upon the compassion of some of her guests. If these guests get up
and make room for him, other intruders immediately appear demanding the
same favor. The report of a provision for all that come, fills the hall
with numerous claimants. The order and harmony of the feast is disturbed,
the plenty that before reigned is changed into scarcity; and the happiness
of the guests is destroyed by the spectacle of misery and dependence in
every part of the hall, and by the clamorous importunity of those, who
are justly enraged at not finding the provision which they had been taught
to expect. The guests learn too late their error, in counter-acting those
strict orders to all intruders, issued by the great mistress of the feast,
who, wishing that all guests should have plenty, and knowing she could
not provide for unlimited numbers,
- humanely refused to admit fresh comers when her table
was already full.
-
- "Reading this passage thoughtfully one is not surprised
to learn that its author became, in James
- Bonar's phrase, "the best-abused man of the age."
said Hardin. "The "Feast" led critics to deduce that Malthus
"defended small-pox, slavery, and child-murder" (because they
kept the population from growing too large) while he "denounced soup
kitchens, early marriage, and parish allowances"
-
- "The shocking Feast was spread before the public
in 1803, in the second edition of the Essay.
- Malthus could hardly have chosen a worse time: a sort
of "compassion revolution" was then well under way. During the
19th century the English-speaking world made great progress in the humane
treatment of animals, in getting rid of slavery, in curtailing child labor,
and in (reluctantly) giving a modicum of freedom to women. Bonar has said
that "for thirty years it rained refutations of Malthus."
-
- "Before Malthus died in 1834, four more editions
of the Essay had been published, the last in 1826; but in none
of them did the Feast appear for a second time. Malthus was hurt by the
- reactions to his moving metaphor. In 1807, in a letter
to a friend in Parliament, the
- author complained: "To those who know me personally,
I feel that I have no occasion to
- defend my character from the imputation of hardness of
heart" The most passionate of the refutations came from the literary
community."
-
- ##
-
- In a five minute astoundingly simple yet brilliant video,
"Immigration, Poverty, and Gum Balls", Roy Beck, director of www.numbersusa.ORG,
graphically illustrates the impact of overpopulation. Take five minutes
to see for yourself:
-
-
-
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPjzfGChGlE&feature=player_embedded
-
-
-
- "Immigration by the numbers-off the chart" by
Roy Beck
-
- This 10 minute demonstration shows Americans the results
of unending mass immigration on the quality of life and sustainability
for future generations: in a word "Mind boggling!" www.NumbersUSA.org
-
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muw22wTePqQ
-
- This is the best website to start: www.numbersusa.org ;
watch Roy Beck's "Immigration by the Numbers" at 14 minutes.
Bi-partisan and very effective. Become a faxer of pre-written letters to
your reps to make positive change.
-
- Visit www.TheSocialContract.com for the best
information on what we face as a civilization as to overpopulation, energy,
immigration and much more. Additionally, www.fairus.org .
-
- Canada www.immigrationwatchcanada.org ; in
Australia www.population.org.auandPublicPopForum@yahoogroups.com;
in Great Britain www.populationmatters.org ; and dozens of other
sites accessed at www.frostywooldridge.com. In Florida, www.flimen.org .
-
- Must see DVD: "Blind Spot" www.snagfilms.com/films/title/blind_spot/ ,
This movie illustrates America's future without oil, water and other resources
to keep this civilization functioning. It's a brilliant educational movie!www.blindspotdoc.com
-
- Must see: Rapid Population Decline, seven minute video
by Dr. Jack Alpert-
-
- www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTWduFB_RX0
-
- Must see and funny: www.growthbusters.org ; www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXSTrW_dARc
- Dave Gardner's Polar Bear in Bedroom:
-
- growthbusters.org/2010/03/save-the-polar-bear-in-your-bedroom ;
Dave Gardner, President, Citizen-Powered Media ; Producing the Documentary, GROWTH
BUSTERS; presents Hooked on Growth: Our Misguided Quest for Prosperity, Join
the cause at www<http://www.growthbusters.com/>.growthbusters.org
;760 Wycliffe Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 USA; +1 719-576-5565
-
- Check out this link with Wooldridge on bicycle and Lester
Brown and panel discussion:
-
- www.upnorthmedia.org/watchupnorthtv.asp?SDBFid=1631
-
- Tomorrow's Americaproject on www.youtube.com/contemporarylearning.
-
- Producer: GEORGE A. COLBURNwww.tomorrowsamerica.com
-
- DC: 202-258-4887
-
-
-
- Email: gac@starbrightmc.com
-
- Link to www.tomorrowsamerica.com for more discussions
on America's predicament.
-
- FOR MORE INFORMATION:
-
- www.starbrightmediacorp.com
-
- www.tomorrowsamerica.com
-
- ##
-
- Frosty Wooldridge has bicycled across six continents
- from the Arctic to the South Pole - as well as six times across the USA,
coast to coast and border to border. In 2005, he bicycled from the Arctic
Circle, Norway to Athens, Greece. He presents "The Coming Population
Crisis in America: and what you can do about it" to civic clubs, church
groups, high schools and colleges. He works to bring about sensible world
population balance at www.frostywooldridge.comHe is the author of: America
on the Brink: The Next Added 100 Million Americans. Copies available: 1
888 280 7715
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