The Human Population

[Gavik]

A lot of topics here recently have touched on the subject of the world's population, and more specifically, if the size of the human population is a problem.

So as not to derail other thread, discuss it here. Can humanity continue to grow?

Catch up on the previous discussion from the first 2 pages of this thread:

http://www.generalforum.com/other-news-discussions/biggest-problem-world-why-75313.html

 

[Daemonic]

If we would focus on things that matter and not stupid stuff like fighting over power, religion, and sexual orientation I don't think it would even be a problem. With all the money and energy that has been put into supporting causes of intolerance for other people I think we probably could have come up with the technology to move beyond earth. If we continue working against each other then there is not enough room for the population to grow. People are probably too stupid to ever move forward though so they will continue to let their savage nature rule them and depend on war and homicide to control our population.

Most people are also to stupid look at the bigger picture. You have mothers that can't even afford a child popping out 5 or 6 babies. Most people are ignorant of the world around them and don't care about anything other than their own simple minded agenda.

 

[Hiei]

I strongly feel that the human population is vastly over what it should be. There are WAY too many people on this earth. It's not really a problem so much of having space to expand as it is that we need to produce enough food, fuel, energy, clothes, to support this many people. There are entire countries that don't have enough food to feed their people. There are more and more people driving and using up the fossil fuel. We need to produce so much more food just to feed everyone. Not to mention one of the side effects of having such a large population of warm bodies is that it actually raises the temperature of the earth slightly.

If people continue to have children at the rate that we are, pretty soon we're going to be a starving world where food is going to cost way more than it does now simply because we can't produce it fast enough to feed everyone.

 

[Daemonic]

We also waste so much food that could be used to feed people that need it. I remember working at food places when I was younger and watching so much go to waste and get thrown out. Oh, and the greedy money whores that run food businesses don't want to give away what isn't being used.....

Nope, if there are leftovers at the end of the day just throw it all out.

 

[Bananas]

Can humanity continue to grow?

Yes it can continue to grow, however we must also accept that as it grows so will the problems that face humanity.

I think the biggest problems will come from not necessarily not having enough resources but how the resources we have are divided and if people will be willing to divide it. The west has had a monopoly where a certain degree of exploitation has meant they have had the lions share. What happens when other countries fancy a share, they also bid on the resources required to have what could be refereed to as a modern lifestyle, if supply does not meet demand then prices increase. You can pick practically any product (cotton, copper, oil, grain etc..) and I probably use anything from 5x to 10x the quantity than those in the developing world.

So even without the worlds population growing we have to somehow make available enough of what we already have. The main problem where this is going to be highlighted is in that the developing world is still growing quite rapidly whilst western society has generally tapered off to a slow increase. Competition is gong to be fierce.

 

[micfranklin]

If there is indeed water on Mars then we need to colonize the planet and make it hospitable for humans, because I don't think Earth can support 20 billion people if it ever goes that high. Moreso since the climate changes environments around frequently.

 

[Diederick]

Water is not the problem. More rain falls down each year than the entire human population could ever drink (in a year, that is). To get clean water is the trick.

The big problem is that many countries are not advanced enough to support their population properly. "Properly" meaning decent health care facilities, clean drinking water, plenty of food, a good diversity of food, proper infrastructure, electricity, higher education, enforcement of the UDHR, etc. FOR EVERYONE (not just the rich or powerful). If all nations were up to this task, instead of fighting each other or their own population; we wouldn't be bothered by the sheer overcrowding of our planet.

The next problem is space. Would all 6 billion people live at the standard of most Western civilized countries, there wouldn't be enough food to go around. We'd have to cultivate the Sahara desert as well as Saudi Arabia in order to feed everyone. But I wonder what the function of so many people is...

If 6 billion (or however many of us there are nowadays) people is just a statement to ourselves that we have the power to sustain such a number, I'd be rather disappointed. If those 6 billion were all great individuals I'd say it's a different matter, but it doesn't take 6 billion humans to keep things running, discover new stuff, explore the universe and create art (<= basically all that needs to be done).

A mere 2 billion would be plenty, I think. A number much easier to sustain, especially considering our fossil fuel consumption; leaving much more space for big backyards or just real nature. And we wouldn't miss out on anything good, I think...

Looking at other planets - and outside our solar system - will be crucial to mankind's survival. Especially when our earth destroys itself, or our sun starts blowing up in our face.

 

[Gavik]

If 6 billion (or however many of us there are nowadays) people is just a statement to ourselves that we have the power to sustain such a number, I'd be rather disappointed. If those 6 billion were all great individuals I'd say it's a different matter, but it doesn't take 6 billion humans to keep things running, discover new stuff, explore the universe and create art (<= basically all that needs to be done).

I have a good feeling that you and everyone you love is within that margin of "useless people." In fact, by that logic, the most efficient number of people is 0.

Humanity can expand to at least 5 times what we number today. The only problem is an imbalance of resources and inefficiency in using those resources. Technology will advance sufficiently to sustain the population as it grows. Any shortcomings are just a product of imperialist economic policies.

 

[Bananas]

Water is not the problem. More rain falls down each year than the entire human population could ever drink (in a year, that is). To get clean water is the trick.

Water has many more uses than to just quench our thirst. Take a look at the Aral sea or Lake Chad to see how humans require water. Our grain, rice, cotton, sugar, livestock, timber etc..etc... all require a constant supply of fresh water. Plus there are many other manufacturing and refining processes that tap into(and also pollute) the water supply.

Water is by far the largest resource you will use in your lifetime. It has a role in practically every single element of your life, from providing the food you eat, the clothes you wear, the walls that make your home., even the keyboard I type this required gallons and gallons of water to make.

 

[Wade8813]

If 6 billion (or however many of us there are nowadays) people is just a statement to ourselves that we have the power to sustain such a number, I'd be rather disappointed. If those 6 billion were all great individuals I'd say it's a different matter, but it doesn't take 6 billion humans to keep things running, discover new stuff, explore the universe and create art (<= basically all that needs to be done).

A mere 2 billion would be plenty, I think. A number much easier to sustain, especially considering our fossil fuel consumption; leaving much more space for big backyards or just real nature. And we wouldn't miss out on anything good, I think...

I'm pretty sure most parents didn't go around thinking "Y'know, 5 billion people's just not enough of a statement. I'd better do my part to help humanity reach 6 billion".

And it's not like there's any way to tell if a person's going to be great until you actually give them a chance to grow up.