I’m a huge fan of Sir David Attenborough. His narration of nature programmes have enthralled and entertained generations. His recent BBC masterpiece called Africa is truly amazing.
I was therefore saddened to hear Sir David’s tirade on Radio Times in the UK where he told audiences that humans are a “plague on the earth”. When listened in context, Sir David’s comments are made worse, not better.
“We are a plague on the Earth. It’s coming home to roost over the next 50 years or so. It’s not just climate change; it’s sheer space, places to grow food for this enormous horde. Either we limit our population growth or the natural world will do it for us, and the natural world is doing it for us right now.”
Metcatornet.com has a great piece covering the issue, including some great comments.
Sir David falls into the same old argument about population growth and its evils.
I had that very argument over the weekend, when at a BBQ on a glorious Wellington evening a group of friends discussed how provincial New Zealand was dying. I said rural towns like Masterton and Levin desperately needed more people, particularly young families. I was chided for thinking that people are necessary to grow local economies and develop our country in a more sustainable way. People seem to want to preserve their lifestyles ahead of developing our country for the better.
Ironically, just the other week the Japanese Deputy PM told his elderly people that it was their duty to “hurry up and die”.
Are we, at last, seeing the real face to the anti-population argument?
All we hear is the same outdated arguments against people. Isn’t it time for a fresh take on population growth?
St. Cyril of Alexandria, patron saint of Egypt, pray for us.
Yes, very disappointing comments from David Attenborough. I wonder though if the media would have any interest in him if he didn’t take that line?
If I could recomment two books that might be picked up online and definitely get to the bottom of things….printed a while ago but worth a read.
Jacqueline Kasunm an economics professor…’The War Against Population’ – Ignatius Press 1999.
Rael Jean Isaac and Erich Isaac – ‘The Coercive Utopians’ – Regnery, 1983.
I agree we need more young families – if they would stop moving to Australia that might be a help! Our parish, in a provincial area, is benefiting from a growing number of lovely faces from the Phillipines….welcome, welcome bring all your friends and families!
Hi Kereopa,
A sad but common error these days.
Attenbrough has unfortunately not understood what he studies deeply enough. In studying animals and other aspects of the natural world, he has failed to see and distinguish what makes human beings (and himself) uniquely different from them. It’s unintelligent.
Increasing human population leads to serious problems for other species, including extinction. The end result of this series of extinctions is unpredictable. Science, not faith, is needed to assess optimum populations given the present state of knowledge. It is not a religious question. There is serious damage done to Catholic credibility by the assertion of ‘facts’ not based on evidence in this area of study. It i simply not possible that increasing population will not cause harm to other species. It is reasonable to discuss the extent of this harm, and its potential mitigation. But it is utterly irrational, and therefore opposed to Catholic tradition, to simply assert that this issue does not exist.
That’s a development in thinking about population I hadn’t heard (I must have gone to sleep!)…other species are extinct because there are too many people.
I thought species became extinct because a) they were hunted, not for food, but for some perceived advantage which financially rewarded the hunter. b) Because they lost their food and habitat because of poor land management.
Both of these things have nothing to do with how many people but how the people behave.
Population control is ideological – they get everyone going on it by illustrating the great need to control population because of a perceived suffering now or in the future.
In the days when I was taking all this nonsense in it was about running out of food, energy and everyone was going to suffer and die through overpopulation. Overpopulation would lead to starvation, civil violence and nuclear war. Resources were all but exhausted!
That was in the 1970s when I was also sucked into a few other bright thoughts (I could give you a list! How ideals lead one to total conformity!)…but clearly over forty years have passed and obesity is a health issue.
Ditch the media and start thinking – the media are barrow boys for the latest rubbish and selectively spoon it out.
Benedicta,
I agree with all you said in #4. You mentioned the 70′s .. I remember all the scare talk that was going on then …global ice -age was to have come upon the world in the latter part of that particular decade … the scientists were quoted in the newspapers in the same way that global-warming is spoken about in our present day … have a feeling that I can remember that there was also talk about the possibility of future over-population even then .. this link gives a record of the thoughts behind that scare….
http://www.climatedepot.com/a/3213/Dont-Miss-it-Climate-Depots-Factsheet-on-1970s-Coming-Ice-Age-Claims
Having been very much aware of all the debates back then, leaves me somewhat sceptical that any man made emission is the cause of any global warming or over population threat today.
God created this beautiful world of ours and He knows just how many people should and could live on it…. There are parts of this globe of ours where peple are dying of starvation and that, I feel,is something that the countries that have plenty could and should help more with ,both in the way of sharing not only produce, but the knowledge and where-with all of food production.. There was talk very recently of the amount of food wastage that goes on in many places ( New Zealand included )… at times, I too fail a bit in this regard but am trying harder.
We should indeed pray for our church and for our world.
Shalom,
Mrs Mac
W
care to provide the science for your assertions
what about this as a starter…………….
http://overpopulationisamyth.com/overpopulation-the-making-of-a-myth#header-5
Pray for the world!
I believe even Greek philosophers worried about overpopulation.
Kasun, in 2000, said that the whole of the world’s population would fill the landmass of the State of Texas, it then being as crowded as a densely populated city. We take up 1-3% of the available earth space.
DV,
I started adding a link to http://www.pop.org (Population Research Institute) and then realised that you had already linked to another part of the same site.
Dr Steven Mosher is very good and completely qualified to speak on this issue.
Increasing human population leads to serious problems for other species, including extinction.
I think you’ve been listening to too much Attenborough and population bomb exponents, Werahiko.
The fact is that many species have increased through the growth of human population – in Australia for example, it is estimated that the kangaroo population is arguably, five times greater than it was before settlement of Australia, because the ‘roos can take advantage of all the farming development that was previously marginal land.
In the USA, the mountain lion, or Puma, was hunted almost to extinction – but with the animal now being ptotected, the puma has made a remarkable comeback – occassionaly predating farmers’ sheep and cattle – but mainly on its traditional prey, and they have moved eastward to the extent that they are now found in the outer suburbs of Chicago, and other mid-west towns where they previously had not been.
The key factor is to stop these beautiful animals being hunted, purely for sport. Where this happens, the animals come back – tigers in India and China, and even in artic regions of Russia. If man keeps his eyes open to habitat destruction, then many species will not extinct, but in fact, increase.
Don, yeah, some great points there.
Here are some of the videos from the PRI site.
The science behind each video is listed beneath each on their site here
Episode 1: – Overpopulation: The Making of a Myth
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Episode 2: – 2.1 Kids: A Stable Population
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Episode 3: – Food: There’s lots of it
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Episode 4: – Poverty: Where We All Started
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Episode 5: – 7 Billion People: Will Everyone Please Relax?
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Episode 6: – Urbanization: Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad City?
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In regard to population growth and, in some places , population proportional shrinkage , I found this interesting …
http://average-catholic.com/2013/01/26/contracepting-social-security/
Mrs Mac