The second problem is that people just can't control themselves when it comes to pumping out the kids. One would think that considering the unemployment rate and the state of the economy for the past few years, people might just decide to take it upon themselves to help be part of the solution. Look at the big picture and voluntarily hold back on having four or five kids. But hey, it's a free country! It's the United States of America! We do what we want here! It's amazing to see a new school being built, then seeing it open, and then see all the "portable" classrooms showing up in the parking lot. Evidently it's not even possible to predict the increases in population of a particular area in the time it takes to build a school. One of the big problems as far as our overpopulation problem started in my opinion when fertility drugs left the realm of a last resort for a couple who had tried everything else and still remained childless, to the realm of casual use by practically anyone who just can't seem to get pregnant anymore, despite having 3 children already. It's almost become a recreational thing. Ok, so we're in our 40's, we have three kids already but they're pretty grown, wouldn't it be nice to have a baby again? Ok, so they try and try, nothing. Guess what, nature says you're done! But no, just take the fertility meds, and poof you're pregnant, and guess what, with triplets! Congratulations, you just put another nail in the planet's coffin. Or three. Forget that in addition to the huge percentage that have multiples, the risk of autism is shocking as well. But forget all that, just go ahead and think of yourself. Forget the future, forget the planet, forget the big picture, forget how selfish you're being. That last one seems to be what a lot of us specialize in these days.
It's just a matter of time, I doubt very much that anything is going to change. As long as businesses keep automating to lower their costs despite the cost to society, as long as people and businesses continue to do things because they can without stopping to think if they should, and as long as living in a "free" country continues to be interpreted as "I can do whatever I want", it's only a matter of time. The scoops are on their way. The scoops are on their way.
I don't think it is so much overpopulation as it is bad management. There is more than enough to do. Automation makes things easier; at least I get the correct change from the automated teller. I was buying something a few months ago that was 2 for 3 dollars but it wouldn't ring up; the teller asked me how much it was, I told her it was 2 for 3 dollars. Her response was; And that would be?.... If the entire population of the WORLD had a 3 foot box to stand in then the entire population would not fill Connecticut.
ReplyDeleteThere is even enough food; just poor distribution and marketing. There are currently 1.3 billion cattle in the world; plenty to go around.
Poor management and distribution.
Sorry to disagree with you Bro, but you can't brush this issue aside by some deceptive math. It has to do with population density, you can't seriously expect to say we don't have a problem with our population by dividing the world's population into a 3 square foot area. It makes for an interesting bit of bar trivia, but the reality is that even smaller cities and towns have traffic situations that now last all day, they used to be called "rush hour" and lasted pretty much from 5 to 6. Now we wait at traffic lights sometimes twice in the middle of the day. The bigger cities are completely out of control. I drove a cab in Manhattan in the 80's and I saw traffic from hell every day. You've been to Los Angeles, try to recall what you saw there. People can't just disperse themselves out into the wilderness, they're too civilized by now. They need to stay close together, and hello, there aren't enough jobs! ANYTHING that puts people out of work is bad, therefore NOT GOOD. My point was that these days, families are able to increase their numbers much more easily (and unnecessarily) than they could 25 years ago, and ANYTHING that takes jobs off the market is harmful. Thanks for the Republican style math though, I really appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteThere's one point my brother's extremely specious post makes, and that's how easy it is to let fuzzy math keep people from seeing the big picture. I'm here making a real point in the real world, something which can be seen in person, as well as something that can be changed, here and today. There's absolutely no denying my point that reducing the number of checkers a store needs means that the store needs less employees. That's ok I guess because some of them aren't as good at mental arithmetic as maybe they should be. How about we just make EVERY checkout lane automated, that shouldn't reduce jobs. Maybe we could have big warehouses where you place your order by computer and a robotic car swings by in half an hour with your order. In about fifty years the only people with jobs will be robot designers, robot mechanics, and robot salesmen. It's a doomed downward spiral we're caught in. And dividing the cows into the world's population... brilliant. Beginning with the fact that this little equation feeds everyone for about a week. And who distributes the "global food supply"? The Global Food Supply Distribution Bureau? Come on, you're talking about mismanagement on a global basis. Talk about head in the sand dude... we can't even get this country to agree to work as a team much less all the countries of the world playing as a team. What would be nice if the problem really were as simple as those examples you listed. Real world time... until the unemployment rate hits ZERO, it would be nice if people pulled together and contributed to MORE jobs for our citizens not LESS, or at least less people to be fighting for the jobs that do exist. Both would be swell.
ReplyDeleteWell...(grin). I certainly wasn't trying to knock your post bro, simply offerd a perspective. I think the only way you can accomplish zero unemployment is in a Communist society. Even in the bet of times there was never less than 3% unemployment (we should try to define this by the way). There will always be a percentage of people unemployed that do not want to stoop to taring roofs in the summer for 10 dollars an hour. They simply got too attached to their middle-management 45K a year job and do not want to settle for less. It's understandable.
ReplyDeleteI know it is hard out there these days. One thing I have not seen in the last few years that I did see in the brief recession of '91; is that I don't see 45 year olds flipping burgers at Wendy's.
This is tricky, and I will not fault the unemployment system the same way I may fault the welfare system. If we can keep people breathing until we manage to see the return of jobs that people are skilled for then that is what we should do. But we have to be realistic with ourselves. If an individual looses their job because the need for it is obsolete in the market, then rather than hold out for the return of that job they need to adapt their skills that they already have to a new, thriving market.
I will take myself as an example. Although I have been in the printing industry for 11 years; if I ever lost my job I would be CRAZY to try and target a job in that dwindling field. But the skills I learned in this field that have nothing to do with printing (AC/DC theory, logistics, project management, cost solutions, resourcing, staffing, training, etc.) can directly translate into almost any field. Not that the jobs are plentiful; but the point is that everyone needs to keep an eye on where their position is within a market base. If you have a job that is in danger of automation, you damn well better figure out your plan B. The way forward is not backward and it never will be.
Brian i applaud your faith in the human race ,but i have to agree with the capt.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching a show awhile back were this woman ( on welfare ) had 18 kids by many different fathers was telling everybody she would have more if she could ( she said she loves childrens ) her two oldest kids were on welfare and were shitting out kids like a fucking broken faucet. Whats wrong with the world is to many people don't want to work hard
they want a life with putting only minimal into it this will not has not worked . I am a 48 year old worker i will work till i die for no other reason than to not live in a box under a bridge ,this country is designed to spit out the poor and make the middle class a thing of the past the rich and power hungry people who control things won't be happy till you work each day for that days food and shelter !!! I for one would love to see the lights shut off in the world because when i was raised i learned how to hunt fish make shelter and start a fire with out a bic so when it happens all the money in the world wont feed you but it will make a nice fire for me to roast a fat pig that i know how to hunt.I have never had a lot of money and it is not my driving force when money is worthless those with the most will be the most worthless and i for one will love going on a worthless asshole hunt, so keep your soylent green i am eating fresh meat.
Dan, please do not misunderstand and think I have any faith in the human race. To support your point; not I said that I DO fault the welfare system. Never has there been a more abused system than that one. The ticklish side to that is that it was created for a very good reason. I think that most people would agree with you. Even the most extreme left wing could not help but say; if you can't afford kids don't have them. Forget natural selection.
ReplyDeleteFurther, I was not necessarily disagreeing with the captain; simply offering a different point. It wasn't even a counter-point. I am simply saying that the key to survival today is not one of survival of the fittest, it is one of adaptation. Necessity is the mother of invention. Cost savings and accuracy is the name of the game today. Cashiers who can not figure out what 2 for $3 means will be replaced by simple machines that can because the return on investment can be calculated precisely. This is not even open for debate, it is a law of nature.
Respect.
I have nothing but respect for both you and your brothers ideas, opinions ,and thoughts.
ReplyDeletemy favourite thing about you guys is the ability to give and receive sarcastic views on life and it's little problems. my first job i worked at a gas station with an old manual register and i learned how to count change in about 10 seconds with no calculator i think that technology has had tremendously adverse effects as well as good effects on people ( it has made us lazy )and slightly lethargic in its attempt to further limit our interactions with each other by making it easier for us to get our daily needs with out so much as a hello. i miss the interactions of people when i am reduced to typing my friends instead of good old in your face conversations. I guess thats my way of saying you should get to florida more often .I got some great stories