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As college-educated Americans, we have our hands on the levers of power and change more so than almost any other group on the planet. We have incredible access to information, all avenues of democratic participation and our entire lives ahead of us.
That's why it's imperative we shun a myopic focus on local happenings and recognize global issues are important and desperately need our attention. Serious threats to global peace, and possibly the existence of the human race, are real. They include resource depletion, ecological contamination, the threat of great power conflict, endemic poverty, failed states, famine, disease and economic exploitation.
Ironically, all of these global problems have a single, profoundly local solution: We must have fewer children.
It's not difficult to see most of our more pressing problems are caused, or at least compounded by, overpopulation. Questions of carrying capacity aside, its clear our economic and political systems are not effectively providing for the almost seven billion people on the planet. The United Nations estimates the human population will reach eight to 10 billion by 2050. More people means greater consumption of resources, many of which are either finite or being produced unsustainably.
Potable water is an especially critical resource, and one to which access is increasingly restricted by pollution, overuse and capitalism. Disease is frequently caused by overcrowded, unsanitary living conditions. Famine and poverty are exacerbated by too many people fighting for too few jobs and too little food.
These problems are easy for us to ignore, as we presently remain largely immune to their effects. We ignore that industrialized nations like ours have only been able to maintain materialistic lifestyles because they have the economic and military power to consume a disproportionate share of global resources. This reality, however, only reaffirms our responsibility to address overpopulation.
There are two steps to addressing overpopulation: rejecting the idea we all have an obligation to procreate and increasing access to contraception globally. It's possible the persistence of the pro-proliferation, anti-contraception mindset is explained by adherence to Catholic doctrine, though I will only note correlation here.
It's undeniable we have an instinct to reproduce. Instincts are not a trump card, however, as we already insist on restraint when following them would cause violence. We ought not remain trapped in the "must pass on my genes" mentality. Alternative family structures have sufficiently proven sharing genetic information isn't necessary for a loving family environment. It is a profoundly selfish act to bring multiple new mouths to feed into the world when so many are currently starving. It also seems unlikely a loving God would want us to reproduce beyond our capacity to maintain the beautiful world he created.
The argument that more children create a better family dynamic and promote healthier development of each child is a good one, but fully addressed by utilizing extended family relationships.
To be clear: I am not advocating government restrictions on reproduction. I only deny we have an unalienable right or obligation to reproduce. The choice is ours. We ought to make it responsibly.
We've no time for naiveté – sex is inevitable. That's why access to contraception is critical to confronting overpopulation. The UN estimates 200 million women worldwide do not have any access to contraception. It's even hard to get it as a teenager in the U.S. – my grocery store back home keeps the condoms behind a locked cabinet. Reproductive education is also critical.
The global birthrate is unsustainable, and will cause resource conflict sooner than you think (as in now). We have an obligation to recognize and address overpopulation, both to protect the world for future generations and reduce resource pressures on those here already. The best option is adoption as there are thousands of children already born who need the love of a parent. The least we can do is demand better access to reproductive education and contraceptives here in the U.S. and advocate for it globally with our voices and our dollars.
But please, cease breeding like rabbits, and recognize we have a moral responsibility to have only one to two children each.
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41 comments
Beth, contraceptives and a cultural liking to small families can and will help but I think you're missing the underlying reason for overpopulation.
You are SUCH a tool. You keep those views of yours and see how far you get in life. You will have two choices in life...teach at a university or mainstream media. Fail at either of those two and you will grow old a very lonely woman.
I don't see how you draw the false conclusion that I believe everything the media tells me. Quite the opposite! I spoke from my own observations. How did you get that idea from what I said? Still, I agree with you about Beth's articles.
She gives no credit to the Catholic Church for striving to preserve the natural order of reproduction and condemning all that is detrimental to the continuation of human life! It's typical for liberals like Beth to confuse reasonable arguments with harsh uncalled for insults. I hope Beth is thankful her own mother didn't decided to use her "right" to abortion or decide to use a condom.
people in......they keep criticizing you.....but they keep coming back to read the next week's article.
Keep it up. I may not agree with everything you write in your articles but I enjoy reading them.