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Global Swarming (Are babies the new SUVs?)
Slate ^ | Monday, Sept. 10, 2007 | Daniel Engber

Posted on 09/12/2007 1:52:30 PM PDT by presidio9

Oh, if we all just disappeared. According to The World Without Us, Alan Weisman's strangely comforting vision of human annihilation, the Earth would be a lot better off. In his doomsday scenario, freshwater floods would course through the New York subway system, ailanthus roots would heave up sidewalks, and a parade of coyotes, bears, and deer would eventually trot across the George Washington Bridge and repopulate Manhattan. Nature lovers can take solace in the idea that the planet will thrive once we've finally destroyed ourselves with global warming. But Weisman takes the fantasy one step further: Let's not wait for climate change, he says. Let's start depopulating right now.

Instead of burning down our numbers with oil and gas, we might follow the advice of the founder of the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement, who tells Weisman that everyone in the world should stop having kids all at once. Weisman isn't up for quite so drastic a measure, but he makes his own pitch, moderate in comparison: Let's cut the birth rate to one child per couple, for a few generations at least. The population would dwindle by about 5 billion people over the next century, he says, ensuring the habitability of the Earth for the 1.6 billion who remained. At that point, they could all reap the rewards of a more spacious planet, sharing in "the growing joy of watching the world daily become more wonderful." It seems like a notion from the fringe, but Weisman's book has become a mainstream best seller. Could population control be the next big thing in green culture?

Nine years ago, Bill McKibben was raked over the coals for making a similar proposal in his vasectomy memoir,

(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: abortion; alanweisman; antibreeder; communismkills; contraception; darwinaward; despotism; environment; environmentalism; godcomplex; heterophobia; humanextinction; lifehate; prolife; vhem
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To: presidio9

Standard James Bond villian style delusions! LOL


21 posted on 09/12/2007 2:10:08 PM PDT by Names Ash Housewares
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To: presidio9
The population would dwindle by about 5 billion people over the next century, he says, ensuring the habitability of the Earth for the 1.6 billion who remained. At that point, they could all reap the rewards of a more spacious planet,

I once read that if you took the population of the entire planet and housed them with the identical population density as Manhattan, that you could fit the entire human race in a country the size of Serbia. To say the Earth is overpopulated is an utter absurdity.

22 posted on 09/12/2007 2:11:02 PM PDT by montag813
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To: presidio9

Up until today, the hummingbirds were going through a feeder full of sugar-water a day; as I sit here, over 3/4 of last night’s filling remains.

I’m afraid it is too late.


23 posted on 09/12/2007 2:13:20 PM PDT by Old Professer (The critic writes with rapier pen, dips it twice, and writes again.)
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To: Westbrook

And the bill!


24 posted on 09/12/2007 2:14:38 PM PDT by Old Professer (The critic writes with rapier pen, dips it twice, and writes again.)
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To: montag813

For future referrence, South Carolina is the same size as Serbia, and a heck of a lot more familiar to Americans who were not in the Clinton Administration.


25 posted on 09/12/2007 2:17:19 PM PDT by presidio9 (Islam is as Islam does.)
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To: presidio9
Want to hear something funny?

I played with the "AlGore Inconsistent Truth Carbon Calculator" (linked to by the Article). Noticed that there was a field for "State"....

I wondered "How the heck does what STATE you live in, affect the amount of carbon you need offset?". So, I ran the real numbers against my current state (NC). Then, I ran the EXACT SAME NUMBERS against my old state (Maine). Believe it or not, living in Maine is almost 15% more carbon efficient....

Perhaps there are more AlGore voters in Maine that need to be pandered to.

For some fun, the Calculator is located at http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/.

PS...I thought that perhaps there's a cost differential in natural gas/electricity between the states. The only way I could get Maine to equal NC, was by tripling the cost. Now, I know that electricity is more expensive in Maine, but not three times as much.....

26 posted on 09/12/2007 2:21:53 PM PDT by wbill
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To: Pyro7480; narses; NYer; Salvation

Pro-Life ping


27 posted on 09/12/2007 2:28:52 PM PDT by Dajjal
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To: presidio9
Liberals hate mankind. That's why they fervently believe in abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

28 posted on 09/12/2007 2:34:00 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: presidio9

Thus, we once again encounter the foundational misanthropy of the Progressive movement.

Like the universe gives a rat’s patootie what happens to the earth. The idea that earth can have any meaning at all outside of humanity’s experience of it is one based completely in self-loathing.

Save the planet. Kill yourself.


29 posted on 09/12/2007 2:34:44 PM PDT by Maceman ("If your enemy is angry, irritate him." -- Sun Tzu)
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To: saganite
The reason it is failing for China is due to an inordinately high preference for a single male child.

If this were not the case, then things wouldn't be so bad.

The real model that we would have to look to is Europe where they are already down to close to 1 child per couple with boys and girls equally wanted (or equally unwanted.)

If that "experiment" is failing then this guy's ideas are for the birds.

In any case, long before we have to live with the consequences of whatever population policy we decide upon ... or end up with due to lack of action ... we will all be replaced by robots.

30 posted on 09/12/2007 2:36:36 PM PDT by who_would_fardels_bear
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To: Dajjal

Unfortunately, there’s one more way to depopulate the earth, which the enviros bring up every so often, and that is to euthanize all people over 70. That ought to clear out some space, and take care of social security at the same time. Well, I’ll have to watch my back more closely.


31 posted on 09/12/2007 2:39:10 PM PDT by MondoQueen
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To: who_would_fardels_bear

If this were not the case, then things wouldn’t be so bad.

Right. State forced abortions of second children and leaving female babies to die because the family wants a son. You’re right. Things aren’t so bad. /sarcasm in the extreme/


32 posted on 09/12/2007 2:41:28 PM PDT by saganite
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To: presidio9

Gee, I thought white people were already doing this.


33 posted on 09/12/2007 2:50:13 PM PDT by rbg81 (DRAIN THE SWAMP!!)
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To: rbg81

I should add that the flaw here is that the less numerous youngsters have to spend their resources taking care of the more numerous seniors. As a result, they can’t afford to have more kids, resulting in fewer members of the next generation. Its a vicious cycle brought to us (in large part) by SS and the welfare state.


34 posted on 09/12/2007 2:52:33 PM PDT by rbg81 (DRAIN THE SWAMP!!)
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To: presidio9

Liberals already have population control. Its called abortion.


35 posted on 09/12/2007 2:56:29 PM PDT by DesScorp
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To: Dilbert San Diego
I hate to think of the totalitariam society one would need to enforce this.

We'd never get there. What the enviro-fools don't think about is the massive civil and global war that would happen if some organization such as the EU or UN were to try to enforce such behavior. The war alone would do so much damage to the earth, it would moot the point of trying to save it.

36 posted on 09/12/2007 2:57:45 PM PDT by Clock King (Bring the noise!)
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To: montag813
...if you took the population of the entire planet and housed them with the identical population density as Manhattan, that you could fit the entire human race in a country the size of Serbia.

Good, Morning, Mega City ONE!


37 posted on 09/12/2007 3:06:44 PM PDT by Clock King (Bring the noise!)
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To: Westbrook
"...We have eleven children, two married, nine still at home, and eight grandchildren so far..."

Wow! You are truly blessed.

But have you thought of taking up a hobby, maybe gardening?

I kid. The more babies, the better is my policy.

38 posted on 09/12/2007 3:07:38 PM PDT by -=SoylentSquirrel=-
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To: Westbrook

Honestly, just about everybody I know has at least two. I know more with 4 than with 1. Then again, I live in the buckle of the Bible Belt.


39 posted on 09/12/2007 4:06:51 PM PDT by cdcdawg
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To: presidio9
Let's start depopulating right now.

Recent conversation in London England between a Muslim Imam and an Anglican Minister:

Sweeping his arm around to indicate the number of Christian Churches there are in that area of London the Imam says:

"You see these Churches? Within 100 years, they will all be Mosques because we are reproducing and you are not."

And, you can't stop them!

40 posted on 09/12/2007 4:08:55 PM PDT by NYer ("Where the bishop is present, there is the Catholic Church" - Ignatius of Antioch)
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