OVER POPULATION... AM I JUST NOT GETTING IT?

This summer I began an on-going discussion with my dad about over-population. He maintains that having two kids will maintain the population where it's at and so therefore it's an acceptable number (according to current over-population thought). But, if there is over population now, wouldn't a decrease in population desirable? Through our present state of affairs as far as ecology, population and even socio-economic tensions between people and nations, have we not more or less proven that we are exceeding the carrying capacity of the land?

Also, in regards to the paradigm shifts we need to make in order to move towards a more socially responsible society (at a global level)... As long as we remain rooted in capitalism we will always be making choices that are in the best interest of profits. It is only when the opportunity costs of NOT being socially responsible are higher than those of actually being responsible that things will changes. But, even then, the change is being made as a response to maximizing profits and not necessarily because we actually care.

Case in point, the process for a recall for a car is: they identify the problem and consider what the cost is for the recall; then, if the cost of the recall is more than the cost of projected lawsuits as a result of not doing the recall and dealing with the aftermath of accidents caused due to equipment failure, they do not go along with the recall.

Capitalism has always held to the premise of acceptable losses, and unless we fundamentally address THAT paradigm, we will be forever sitting down in our pissed off little groups talking about how we can change the world while drinking our double-shot caramel lattes from Starbucks. I really do believe that there are bigger paradigms to shift before we start considering these types of changes. Unless we fundamentally change our values in regards to the disposable and negotiable nature of everything we come in contact with, then we will never really believe in a change enough to make the appropriate sacrifices in order to make it a non-negotiable part of our values.

So, what is the solution? I believe that all these groups (large and small) should actually get together and address the larger problem. Once the larger paradigm is shifted, they will find that not only their audience will be more receptive to what they are saying (en mass), but that some of those changes will begin to happen by themselves because it will really BE a part of everyone's values and lifestyle. It will no longer be passive activism by convenience. It will just be the new way things are done. Period.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER: This blog is intended to house my opinions and observations on the world as I see it. Although my arguments may come from the more emotional realm I do try to apply as much fact as I have available to me at the time of writing. I am not writing an encyclopedia here, I am writing opinions. Av
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------