The Overpopulation (Rate) Myth.

Astonishing falls in the fertility rate are bringing with them big benefits

As industrialisation swept through what is now the developed world, fertility fell sharply, first in France, then in Britain, then throughout Europe and America. When people got richer, families got smaller; and as families got smaller, people got richer.

Now, something similar is happening in developing countries. Fertility is falling and families are shrinking in places— such as Brazil, Indonesia, and even parts of India—that people think of as teeming with children. As our briefing shows, the fertility rate of half the world is now 2.1 or less—the magic number that is consistent with a stable population and is usually called “the replacement rate of fertility”. Sometime between 2020 and 2050 the world’s fertility rate will fall below the global replacement rate.

At a time when Malthusian worries are resurgent and people fear the consequences for an overcrowded planet, the decline in fertility is surprising and somewhat reassuring. It means that worries about a population explosion are themselves being exploded—and it carries a lesson about how to solve the problems of climate change.

More...

2020 is a little more than 10 years away!

This article seems to rejoice at the idea. But if true, I can't help wonder whether something more ominous is at play?

The reversal seems unnaturally rapid.

Perhaps the grandest conspiracy of all is either our failure to detect unintentional infertility agents in the environment....or our failure to detect intentional infertility agents in the environment.

Scary thought either way.

See also: MEN: You are being chemically castrated.

[edit on 6-11-2009 by loam]

If this is true, then this is actually GREAT news!!!

They say that the educated breed much less... So I would have to make a guess that knowledge is reaching more people than ever. Maybe Birth Control is becoming more widely available than ever, in more places than we ever thought possible.

Honestly I don't see this current trend as anything alarming. It's just not big enough of a difference to mean anything, in my opinion.

I do feel a little disappointed that this trend did not start in time for my generation to feel/see the benefits of such a trend, though.

Whether TPTB are responsible for this or not, I wouldn't be surprised if they would still prefer to speed it up a lot.

Thank you for sharing. This is the first good news I have seen in weeks.

reply to post by LostNemesis


Notwithstanding the potential benefits, I do not take comfort in the possibility of an unnatural reduction in population rate in the absence of consent.

I suppose this demonstrates one person's dream can constitute an others nightmare.

Spooky jubilation if you ask me.

reply to post by loam
Very person on the face of the Earth could stand upright in Jacksonville County Florida.

If it's crowded where you live...

MOVE. lol

Population rates are also decreasing due to the average number births per couple. In the US, I believe the number is close to 1.3

We can't sustain that type of output very long. Generation after Generation, populations will continue to decrease.

-Dev

reply to post by loam


I think it has much more to do than simply that some countries are becoming industrialized and richer. Your other thread which you linked, about the drop in sperm counts seems to be a major source as well. I can't help but think that the rate of drop in sperm has been too dramatic, too quick. We're not taking the necessary actions to curb this continually dwindling count. What is left is up to 85% abnormal. Yikes!

I'm all for a stable population, but at the risk of increased birth defects, genetic mutations, feminized men, etc...Not sure about that one.

reply to post by loam


The "population bomb" is one of the greatest disinfo campaigns perpetrated imho ... much in the way of global policy is based on this underlying false premise.

Here's some interesting related reading:

Empty Playgrounds: Global Populations in Decline

Nature has ways of keeping things on track.

Wars, plagues, and drops in fertility are a natural consequence of stresses caused by overpopulation.

reply to post by LostNemesis


It has nothing to do with education, it is simply about survival,culture and wealth. Larger families means more hands to help with day to day work, considering most of the world still live very harsh lifestyles it is simply common sense to have a large family. And then we have culture, grandparents,parents and children may live all together in one house. So having young people to look after the grandparents and then eventually the parents when they grow old is very normal. I think when other countries populations grow more wealthy and like us do not need to work as hard each day(compared to now) we will see birth rates falling even more.

[edit on 7-11-2009 by Solomons]

I am 100 percent positive that there are several powerful groups who press for population reduction. Not as in doom and gloom crowd posts in which they repeatedly present inevitable murdering of billions in the near future by "whatever is now in the news", and it is not needed - it is just part of smoke screen.
In reality man sperm count drops, families in developed countries have fewer children due to costs and environmental pressure. In third world there are known programs to decrease births by all kinds of tricks. All over the world any movement that might lower birth rate is encouraged by governments. So it is real, it really happens and i am sure that there is a plan for it. Personally i do not know if it is good or bad. When people are playing God's role - it always ends bad. But sharing a planet with another 40 billions is also bad as far as i see it. And i do not know what is lesser evil, frankly.