#2324 over population

theres some good information about what we have been saying all along, well worth a read


http://dieoff.org/page75.htm



The timing and spacing of pregnancies are important for the health of the mother, her children, and her family. Most maternal deaths are due to unsafe practices in terminating pregnancies, a lack of readily available services for high-risk pregnancies, and women having too many children or having them too early and too late in life.

Millions of people still do not have adequate access to family planning services and suitable contraceptives. Only about one-half of married women of reproductive age are currently practicing contraception. Yet as the director-general of UNICEF put it, ''Family planning could bring more benefits to more people at less cost than any other single technology now available to the human race." Existing contraceptive methods could go far toward alleviating the unmet need if they were available and used in sufficient numbers, through a variety of channels and distribution, sensitively adapted to local needs.

But most contraceptives are for use by women, who consequently bear the risks to health. The development of contraceptives for male use continues to lag. Better contraceptives are needed for both men and women, but developing new contraceptive approaches is slow and financially unattractive to industry. Further work is needed on an ideal spectrum of contraceptive methods that are safe, efficacious, easy to use and deliver, reasonably priced, user-controlled and responsive, appropriate for special populations and age cohorts, reversible, and at least some of which protect against sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS.

Reducing fertility rates, however, cannot be achieved merely by providing more contraceptives. The demand for these services has to be addressed. Even when family planning and other reproductive health services are widely available, the social and economic status of women affects individual decisions to use them. The ability of women to make decisions about family size is greatly affected by gender roles within society and in sexual relationships. Ensuring equal opportunity for women in all aspects of society is crucial.

The adoption of a smaller family norm, with consequent decline in total fertility, should not be viewed only in demographic terms. It means that people, and particularly women, are empowered and are taking control of their fertility and the planning of their lives; it means that children are born by choice, not by chance, and that births are better planned; and it means that families are able to invest relatively more in a smaller number of beloved children, trying to prepare them for a better future."*


and theres things about immigration as well, and a lot of things..

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I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

Thanks for posting, Merc...I wish that more Western governments encouraged population limits through the use of safe and effective contraception. But it seems to be such a taboo subject, especially in the States (where I am, unfortunately). Back in the sixties and seventies, when the booming population was viewed as a real problem and environmental concerns were at their peak, women were encouraged to use such harmful and even deadly contraceptives as the Dalkon Shield, an IUD that caused toxic miscarriages, pelvic inflammatory disease, and even death. And of course, govt. officials (and civilians) in this country look at China and the supposed "tragedy" of their one-child policy, and vow never to go that route. I think it's a real shame that in a time when safe and effective birth control is available (I have a ParaGard IUD and it's great), the government is not telling the citizens to stop breeding, but rather encouraging them through tax breaks and threatening to overturn a woman's right to choose. In my ideal world, contraception would be over-the-counter, abortion would be free, and people would be heavily taxed upon bringing another mouth to feed (e.g. another being to pollute, waste resources, and clog landfills) into the world.

i think i read somewhere that the optimum population for the earth is 500 million to 1 billion, that gives more space, more freedom and yet creates all the food needed.

we are 6 times over that.. and i personally object to how many forms of male contraception compared to womens, we have 3, one doesnt involve sex at all, one is surgical and one is condoms.. thats it. men need more forms of protection, preferably on a level as the ones for women, (i am including the variations)

the sooner men get the chance to prevent the better.

i agree, but people dont think about the future, its allabout NOW, i want my mcmansion NOW, i want this NOW.. when the world collapses due to over use of resources, (there is only so much technology can cure), we will be seen as being the responsible ones, for not creating the next generation of super consumers.

*********************************************************************************************************************************
I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

Hell, even simply educating people about the fact that it is indeed possible to control one's reproduction, and that not everyone HAS to have a child (or 10), is taboo in this country.

Long time readers may remember this story, but I'll tell it again. A few years ago I was in a family sociology class in college and we were to gather in groups and decide when the best time was to have children, and who was to raise them. When it was my turn to present our group activity to the class, I discussed what our group had decided and then added, "But you know, it is entirely possible for a couple to NOT have ANY children at all and I'm surprised that wasn't even put forth as an option in this excersise". At the mere suggestion that not every couple will procreate the class, professor included, looked at me like I had just pulled down my pants and shat on the floor. That was when I realized that most people don't actually put any thought whatsoever into whether or not they will have children, and just assume it as a given.

Feh, you are right. People don't think about whether or not they should/want to breed. It's just a given that everyone will want to fuck up their lives by doing so. And when you don't do what everyone else is doing, then you are considered "odd."

People can't imagine a life without breeding. I've heard so many people say they'd be bored. BORED? How is that possible?

Only stupid people are bored...and only stupid people have children to relieve that boredom.

Yeah, let's have more male contraception! I have my doubts about whether many men would use it, but some would, and it'd be more options for backups than just female pill + barrier method (I personally don't much like barrier methods because IMO, they're overkill for a monogamous relationship where protection from STDs is not necessary--the fact that one can never assume a relationship is monogamous notwithstanding).

And besides, for those of us who are so tocophobic/paranoid that using only one form of birth control IS unprotected sex in our minds...a male pill would allow us to use three forms (male pill, female pill, barrier method) and virtually eliminate any chance of conception whatsoever.

Plus there'd be no more men whining about being oopsed and "but she said she was on birth control" because then we could ask "and why weren't YOU on birth control? bed. made. lie."

yes, but more men would be willing, if it was an easy pill.

it would save a lot of bother. but the medical field seems to not want to create any, its slowly changing, a lot are in testing stages.. and has been for a dozen years or more.

non surgical procedure, pill or patch, and you would have lots of men using them.

especially students, imagine it, no students ever having an accidental parentage on them, they are able to study, and then get jobs. then decide to sprog.. of course it will eventually be like the women of today.

men are about 30-40 years behind womens reproductive health..and we are just reaching equality and parity.. (if the male b/c does happen)

*********************************************************************************************************************************
I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

I'm all for male contraception.

I'd love to see some of these wanna-breed chicks have the barn door slammed in their faces.