Weed Species
Comments: 13
There are just too many of us — by a factor of 1,000! — and consequently we are doomed. Have a nice day.
1,000 Times Too Many Humans?
Jennifer Viegas, Discovery NewsA study that compared humans with other species concluded there are 1,000 times too many humans to be sustainable.
The study, published in the current Proceedings B (Biological Sciences) by the Royal Society, used a statistical device known as “confidence limits” to measure what the sustainable norm should be for species populations. Other factors, such as carbon dioxide production, energy use, biomass consumption, and geographical range were taken into consideration.
You’ve probably seen this story already (I found it on Blogdex) but its winning blend of scientific certitude, misanthropic despair and eschatological joie de vivre makes it hard to pass up.
Charles Fowler, one of the authors of the paper, puts it very succinctly:
Our study found that when we compare ourselves to otherwise similar species, usually other mammals of our same body size, for example, we are abnormal and the situation is unsustainable
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Posted to Oh, the Humanity • 2003.11.28 (Fri) • 11:43
Comments
Posted by smallerdemon 2003.11.28, 14:07
Hm. You didn’t just happen to buy Gigantic on DVD did you? :) Or is this just a coincidence that you posted about weed species on the day I got the Gigantic DVD and there’s a song about Weed Species on it.
Posted by jh 2003.11.28, 14:24
Does my coolness rating plummet (although how much lower could it go?) if I admit I have no idea what Gigantic is? Jeez … I must be getting old. That and I don’t get out much these days.
“Weed species” ought to appear in a search here, incidentally, because I recall using it in a post about crows a while back. I have to admit, it has a certain ring to it —- and I guess others feel the same.
Posted by mike 2003.11.28, 15:41
Ah yes, the human race…worse than those pesky cockroaches, we can survive almost anything.
With the ability to reason came the unreasonable ability to push aside nature’s rule of survival of the fittest. Whether by choice or design we humans have extended our life expectancy two-fold through developement of medications and corruption of our environment, we have developed such an emotional attachment to life that we dare not allow the natural demise of a terminally ill or physically/mentally handicapped individual (not that I in any way advocate such behavior or reasoning - merely a statement of fact).
To think that humans numbered only 1.6 billion at the turn of the century (it took 2000 years to add that billion) and now we are looking at 6+ billion.
But who would want to reverse this situation? Who would put their hand up to be eliminated in the name of sustainability?
Posted by nils 2003.11.28, 23:54
Would you rent an apartment in a burning building and ask your children to move in?
The Voluntary Human Extinction Movement “Live Long and Die Out.”
Posted by Scott 2003.12.05, 10:10
Is the rent cheap..?
Posted by scott 2003.12.05, 10:32
Seriously tho I think we must act , so I recommend you all stop breeding , just stop NOW (… and Ill take over from here ..)
Mike has a good point there, tho I think.
It reminds me of the ( simple minded..?) posture to aid, where we seem to see saving a life ( Human) as some all encompassing moral high ground, yet in doing “good work” we have brought many a poor country to its knees ( and its environment..) by greatly adding to the poor populatiion. The idea that the only thing a poor country needs ( and gets )is health care is sad, and even then its by half measures.
Its kinda like we treat humans like lab rats. (as long as they are breathing they are ok…) hmmm warm and fuzzy feelings al l round, as long as you aren’t the rat.
In the same way, I hope someone saves me from the anti euthanasia crowd when I’m 123 and saying ‘KIll me Billy…’
Posted by scott 2003.12.05, 10:44
Of course, a cynical person might say that keeping as many of us poor (and breeding as fast as possible..) is convenient to various vested interests. ( what better way to control us and the recources…?)
The real issue is of course, space and resource use, that being a problem first of all of the developed world…
Next time you see yet another dam or highway project or find you’ve mamaged to use your own weight in plastic this week AGAIN, consider this Idea…( Or a better one if you got em..)
Imagine every roof top in Tokyo having a garden for food and every main road having a Walk /bike “freeway” /park built over it
Posted by scott 2003.12.05, 10:48
By doing that, thered be more space , far less resources needed to supply the city, ( there’d be urban farmers) and thered be a viable alternative to cars and trains, and thered be less heat island effect and better air ect ect
Posted by scott 2003.12.05, 12:11
Imagine being able to ride a bicycle 10 km without a single traffic light…. you would have to make better time than a car in Tokyo at least. It might not put trains out of business but it d make it POSSIBLE to ride to Shinjuku from 20 km out.
ok, it would use more concrete but at least they d be using for a useful purpose for once, instead of walling Japan in like it was about to sink..( Hmm maybe they know something we don’t ..)
keep
Posted by Gary 2003.12.06, 22:30
Jeremy, Wish you had posted this 9 months or so ago. My wife is about to give birth to our first offspring, and I didn’t realise what a terrible, selfish thing we were doing by propagating!
Posted by jh 2003.12.06, 23:29
Perhaps a one-child policy in place for a few generations will even things out a bit. Things will be rough for a while, though: everyone of our generation will be supporting two retired boomers, while our children will have to support four of us (or something like that).
At any rate, despite the fact that I think we’re basically doomed (and sooner rather than later), the imminent arrival of newborns is always cause for happiness. There’s nothing makes the future seem a little brighter than looking into your child’s eyes.
Best wishes to you and your soon-to-be family!
Posted by Miley 2006.06.21, 01:44
Bob Marley rullzz 4ever :))
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