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From: ice@trwrba.UUCP (Douglas L. Ice)
Newsgroups: net.space,net.columbia
Subject: Re: Why does everyone want to leave this planet?
Message-ID: <1837@trwrba.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 18-Feb-86 17:21:08 EST
Article-I.D.: trwrba.1837
Posted: Tue Feb 18 17:21:08 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 24-Feb-86 05:33:12 EST
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Reply-To: ice@trwrba.UUCP (Douglas L. Ice)
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	Why does "everybody" want to leave this planet?  There is no
one answer.  Some, certainly, for the adventure; some just have a thing
against gravity.  More importantly, it is survival.  Our wonderful
planet is increasingly scrutunized, explored, and exploited.  Mankind's
burgeoning population is destroying forests the size of New Hampshire
every year in Brazil alone.  Hundreds of species of life are gone
forever, with more going yearly.  Millions of humans die needlessly
each year.  All of us wonder how long until the unthinkable mistake
of nuclear war becomes a reality.
     The Malthusian dilemma is simple:
on a finite planet(and last I heard that was the only kind made),
resources are fixed, and exploitation matching the exponential
population growth only hastens their exhaustion.  Resource allocation
has historically been achieved through two methods: the barbaric method
of taking what you wish from those without the ability to keep what is
(was) theirs, and the civilized method of allocting to all the basics
of survival, and dividing the rest according to the individuals'
contributions to the society.  The first method has the advantage of
low overhead(no governmental structure necessary) and also there is no
need to leave the planet(indeed, without cooperation, it is
impossible), since excess humanity is merely eliminated.  The second
method fosters cooperation, making space travel(as well as the many
other benefits of civilization) possible.  More importantly, with
society's valuation of human life, along with the fact that no one will
allow them to be told how many children they may have, it necessitates
it.  Look around you -- your portion of the earth's surface diminishes
daily with the additional burden of human flesh!  There are only two
ways out: war or other catastrophe will reduce the population, or we
will push out of our embryonic stage to new worlds, where our enemies
can be kept more than a missile's throw away.  Our planet is
magnificent!  Why not get off her aching back!  Perhaps we will never
find a planet as suitable as Earth, but would it not be better as the
human race progresses to leave the Earth beautiful, perhaps as a resort
planet, than to drag her down to ruin by short-sighted exploitation?
	If you love mankind, either seek to reduce its numbers, or
allow it to expand.  (That way, we can f**k up the whole Universe!)
--Doug (Sorry it's so long)