world problem is population, page-17

Finch

I am an overpopulation sceptic. Is there any actual evidence that the earth is overpopulated? What is the definition of overpopulation anyhow? Simply a big number that makes people go "wow, 7 billion of us, that's waaaay toooo much", then somehow assuming that if there were fewer of them there'd be more to go around?? Does it actually work like that, and if it does then why are living standards higher with a larger global population?


Anyhow, for a little perspective. Take NSW @ 809000km2. That's big enough to house the entire world population, 4 to a townhouse on 450m2 blocks. OK, that doesn't include room for roads, shops, schools, parks, factories etc, so throw in the area of Victoria(237000km2) for all that stuff. Could do the whole thing in modest highrise(like much of the world population already do) in half the area of NSW. That doesn't seem like overpopulation to me....

Thomas Malthus started this hoax in the early 19th century, and despite all the evidence to the contrary it has persisted and was picked up again by that well known crank, Paul Erhlich in the 70's with his book, The Population Bomb.
It was unfortunate that its prediction of mass famine in India was made just a few years before India became a net food exporter. Didn't stop the meme though,or Paul Ehrlich either as he is currently a professor of something or other despite looking like a goose. The meme is still rocking on too,despite its problems...like lack of evidence.

All the above is not saying that life is sweet for everyone and that everything is fine. There are plenty of problems and near the top I would put stupid and corrupt political and economic systems.They would still stuff things up even if the world population were 1 million rather than 7 billion,FWIW....


cheers