Letter to the editor: Decades ago we worried about how the earth could sustain a rapidly growing population. Why have we forgotten this concept?
One topic that has fallen by the wayside that may be contributing to many of our problems is overpopulation.
I remember in college Psychology 101, we learned that if you put too many mice in a cage, at some point the normally amicable creatures would start acting crazy and violent, even to the point of cannibalism.
I also remember back in the 1970s, overpopulation was a big topic. We were focused on how fast the population was growing and how much the earth could sustain in terms of natural resources.
There was a brief movement called “Population Zero,” which proposed everyone having only one child to stop the exponential growth that would eventually cause disaster.
This concept has been forgotten or possibly suppressed by corporate interests that enjoy monetary growth over quality of life on this planet.
If you look at much of our socio/political dysfunction that is not merely bonkers but is growing increasingly violent, and if you look at the environmental global warming mess we’ve made, you have to wonder:
Are there too many mice in the cage?
Maybe we should address “Population Zero” again, worldwide if possible.
Kim Ptak, Fountain Hills