Will technology one day solve the proplems of over population? Or will over population become a real problem?

Question

Think of how many people there could be on Earth just a few decades from now.

Can we handle it?

Answer 1

Most population-related problems are due to human greed and corruption.  Human hate and abuse of power reduce population with war, genocide, and so on.  "War is nature's pruning hook."  Earth has enough resources to handle a significantly larger population, if people could cooperate instead of fight, hoard, and waste.  It tends to get out of balance if the people with higher reproductive rates aren't contributing to society.  History shows us that coercive population growth restrictions are nearly always abusive.  Telling people that s*x is merely recreational with no moral implications discourages responsible parenthood.  A characteristic of civilized societies has generally been respect for human life.  That inhibits population control by just killing chosen segments of humanity.  That's done by race, ethnicity ('ethnic cleansing' or genocide), gender, religion, the aged or infirm (euthanasia), or youth (child sacrifice, abortion).  Technology can help, but humans need to use it responsibly and cooperatively.

Answer 2

A very interesting question and one that I have been thinking about for sometime.  We can't count on governments or religions to do the right thing and solve this problem---too many conflicts and contradictions involved.

Technology is the only answer, in my opinion. What is needed is to develop a technology that can be administered at the time of birth to every baby that, while not interfering with normal biological development and maturing, but render the individual sterile until an antidote can be provided at a much later date that restores fertility.  Humanity needs to place heavier, more strict requires upon the marriage institution, family, and on human reproduction. When a couple has meant all of societies requirements for venturing into a long term relationship (marriage and family), then the couple should be given the antidote and permitted to create children. Such would reduce the world's population (in a humane fashion), result in better and stronger families and better citizens of the world. Such a policy would reduce crime, abortion, homelessness, and the need for more jails, prisons, and mential institutions.

The development of such technology and its mandatory requirement could save all of humanity and the world, in my opinion.

Answer 3

Over-population is now.  Problems are now: global warming, exponentially rising extinctions of species, pollution, declining natural resources, to name just  a few.

Can technology help?  It has  in small ways, but not quickly enough.  There is not enough time and money to develop it, and if there were enough, there is not enough food, energy, land, clean water, etc. to go around, no matter how you calculate it.

Only by decreasing populations can we eventually have enough to go around, if we do it soon, before we exhaust the earth.  I predict within 30 years we'll be mining landfills for metals.

Decreasing population will not happen as long as politics, culture and religions hinder/prevent the wide spread use of birth control and s*x education.  

Some nations think birth control is attempt to eliminate races, or weaken them for takeover.  

Some cultures think theirs is best, let someone else practice control.  Or think they'll just have lots of kids and let someone else educate/feed/raise them on welfare.

Some religions just want more children born into the faith.

Some politics pander to religions ... did you know that for many years Republicans have prevented the United Nations from using US funds to teach non-abstinence birth control techniques, or from funding contraceptives even to nations that request it?

And so on.

Sorry, but I'm pessimistic on this.  I think population will increase, with famine and wars over resources.  People are just too selfish and conservative (resistant to change).

Then the inevitable flu or other epidemics will cause a huge crash.

I will be surprised if democracy survives.

Answer 4

You can only get so much blood from the turnip, and we ain't colonizing the Moon any time soon.

On the other hand, birth rates in much of Europe are lower than the 2.1 children per couple "replacement rate", so maybe there's hope.

Answer 5

no.

no.

line em' up.