Discussion About Population Growth

[Wes Mantooth]

This is something that seems to never get talked about, so I'd be very curious to hear what some of you think about it.

Do you think about it all? Does it matter? Is there a practical approach or solution? Is it even an issue?

Below I'm going to list two seperate things, the world population and the US population, dating back to 1950.

World Population (In Billions)
1950 - 2.584
1960 - 3.034
1970 - 3.700
1980 - 4.458
1990 - 5.327
2000 - 6.143
2010 - 6.956
2020 - 7.794

US Population (In Millions)
1950 - 152
1960 - 186
1970 - 209
1980 - 229
1990 - 252
2000 - 281
2010 - 309
2020 - 331

So, in looking at this, you can clearly see the world's population has increased 3 fold in the last 70 years. And the US population has more than doubled.

Now, I think everyone here is smart enough to realize how this has occurred, so I'm not really looking for reason to explain it (i.e. medicine, age expectancy, social programs, immigration, etc.)

I guess I really just want to know is anything it is you think when you see this. Is this growth sustainable? If we're truly to address climate change, pollution, and consumption of finite resources, can we ignore the elephant in the room?

Fwiw, the reason I decided to list both the world and US population is I think they each bring about different conversations. In regards to the US I think we have to think about the have's and the have not's, social programs, job opportunities, etc.

Whatever thoughts you may have I'd love to hear them.

[fredtoast]

Population growth is huge problem, but it it will reach a peak in a few years (decades) and level out.

There is a cycle were lower birth rate increases standard of living and an increased standard of living (industrialization) leads to a lower birth rate. One of the biggest goals of the Gates Foundation is to provide family planning to third world countries. They say that is the single biggest issue in reducing poverty worldwide.

Most of the US population growth over the last two decades has been due to immigration instead of a high birth rate.

[CKwi88]

That sort of growth is certainly not sustainable, but it won't continue as such. I believe birth rates are at very low levels currently. It would be interesting to see the population by age category. I'm sure that a lot of baby boomers will be dying off in the next 20-30 years.

[GMDino]

(02-16-2021, 07:50 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Population growth is huge problem, but it it will reach a peak in a few years (decades) and level out.  

There is a cycle were lower birth rate increases standard of living and an increased standard of living (industrialization) leads to a lower birth rate.  One of the biggest goals of the Gates Foundation is to provide family planning to third world countries.  They say that is the single biggest issue in reducing poverty worldwide.

Most of the US population growth over the last two decades has been due to immigration instead of a high birth rate.

Ugh...I had a friend posting about Gates wanting to "depopulate" the planet today.  

[Vas Deferens]

I can think of a few incells around here that eschewed the natural order and procreated.

Personally I think everyone should be castrated until they prove themselves capable. Think of the insurrections we could have avoided.

[NATI BENGALS]

(02-16-2021, 09:39 PM)GMDino Wrote: Ugh...I had a friend posting about Gates wanting to "depopulate" the planet today.  

He is basically Thanos

[Vas Deferens]

Getting rid of IVF, taxing members of pro-life religious groups and spiking ‘T’ therapeutics with tracking / castrating chips would be a good start.

[NATI BENGALS]

(02-16-2021, 07:50 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Population growth is huge problem, but it it will reach a peak in a few years (decades) and level out.

There is a cycle were lower birth rate increases standard of living and an increased standard of living (industrialization) leads to a lower birth rate. One of the biggest goals of the Gates Foundation is to provide family planning to third world countries. They say that is the single biggest issue in reducing poverty worldwide.

Most of the US population growth over the last two decades has been due to immigration instead of a high birth rate.

I watched I think a TED talk on this that described pretty much exactly this theory.

I just can’t get on board with the theory. I don’t think the population will ever level out on its own. We may get hit by massive natural disasters, plagues (Trump 2024), or man made disasters that make it somewhat level out (I’m looking at you Russia testing nuclear powered nuclear missiles in the Arctic). But technology, gene editing, lab grown organs, new medicines, fertility drugs, and all that stuff make me think life expectancy will go up.

I think we need a new planet for the stuff we can’t control. Sooner or later we will get smacked by an asteroid or the Sun will do some crazy shit. But until then we are on our way to being able to sustain a massive population growth. Indoor vertical farms, graphene filters that can desalinate ocean water, Blue Houses of giant land based fish farms, massive scale geothermal electricity production, and legalized drugs because you are going to need them to deal with the sheer number of morons out there.

[CKwi88]

(02-17-2021, 12:17 AM)Vas Deferens Wrote: Getting rid of IVF, taxing members of pro-life religious groups and spiking ‘T’ therapeutics with tracking / castrating chips would be a good start.

Don't forget getting rid of all those tempting financial incentives for having tons of kids!

[BmorePat87]

hopefully millennials will "kill" this too.

[Vas Deferens]

(02-17-2021, 12:24 AM)CKwi88 Wrote: Don't forget getting rid of all those tempting financial incentives for having tons of kids!

I’ll allow them to buy carbon off-sets at market rates starting at on conception. Heffers fart for at least 2 depending on their relation to the mason-Dixon

[Belsnickel]

(02-17-2021, 01:07 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: hopefully millennials will "kill" this too.

I'm doing my part.