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From: slerner@sesame.UUCP (Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: overpopulation and survival
Message-ID: <228@sesame.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 29-Jul-85 22:35:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: sesame.228
Posted: Mon Jul 29 22:35:31 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 31-Jul-85 23:52:14 EDT
References: <7800028@orstcs.UUCP>
Organization: Lotus Development Corp
Lines: 40

> Thus, colonization is an ineffective method of removing population pressure.
> One thing will work however:  internal control, such as China's.  I won't
> go so far as to advocate out-and-out eugenics, because that can backfire
> magnificently (witness Dorsai! and "Space Seed"/"The Wrath of Khan").  
> However, we'd better start doing something to curb population pressure, or
> good ol' Mother Nature/Human Nature will grab the ball and run.  Soil 
> depletion in the cradle of civilization, Africa.  World War Three.  Famine
> in inner India.  Inner city violence in North America and Europe.  Read
> the play Our Town sometime, or the last portion of TEFL, and contrast with
> a current city.  Living without locks on the doors?  Leaving valubles in an
> open car?  Walking through Central Park *After Dark?*  Good Lord, its 
> positively UnAmerican!!!  And theres always mass insanity of course.
> 
>... 
> I'm going to stop before this gets too depressing.  There is one thing I can
> have hope in: once a permanent, self-supporting, off-Earth colony is 
> established, Man is unlikely to die out.  The catch is that societies don't
> work towards their own long term survival.  Individuals do, and this creates
> societies as a side effect.  Philosophers are more comfortable when they
> have plenty of paper and a free meal ticket.  They don't like standing behind
> a plow.

A quick survey:

How many of you out there would drop *everything* to work on the chance
to establish a self-supporting off-Earth colony, given a chance to colonize
there in exchange?  I mean give up your careers, your homes, everything!

(I know that it is easier to talk than act, after all I'm still here :-) )

-- 
Opinions expressed are public domain, and do not belong to Lotus
Development Corp.
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Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner

              {genrad|ihnp4|ima}!wjh12!talcott!sesame!slerner
                      {cbosgd|harvard}!talcott!sesame!slerner
                                slerner%sesame@harvard.ARPA