John Willett | Guest column
A recent column published in the Kitsap Sun shared a view on "how to make the world better," which the author explained was to have our young have more babies. This answer got my attention, as well as others that have responded with letters to the editor on the assumption that this world needs more people on it.
The columnist in question is the VP of Research and Director of the Human Flourishing Lab at the Archbridge Institute, based in Washington, D.C. The Institute, from what I have read on their website, seems to be filled with economists and religious fellows. They also seem to be lobbying for the idea that unconstrained consumerism is good and that for that (us?) to flourish, we need more consumers, tying that in with having more babies, people on the planet.
The Institute also says they want to remove barriers and constrains on individuals so they can achieve richer and fuller lives, again, too "flourish."
The columnist criticizes the youth of today of being selfish and not doing their duty to have (more) children to populate the planet (and America) and consequently help the economy to grow.
Apparently the columnist has not looked around outside of the "Swamp" in D.C. and seen this planet already cannot feed the 3 billion inhabitants it has presently....and they want more.
Somehow the columnist does not see the link between 8 billion people and climate change.
There are a few very big elephants (problems) in the room (planet) that this economist and most big and International business seem to want us to ignore, so they can 'flourish'? They seem to want us to just keep populating the planet while they insulate themselves from everyone else's struggles to "flourish."
Maybe, just maybe, the youth of today are not that ignorant, and can see what is happening and what they are going to have to deal with in the near future in order to survive and flourish on this planet. Maybe they believe in science? Maybe they can do math and budgets, too? Maybe they see America's health system not working so well for them? And lots of other obstacles to having big families in America. This is not the 1700's anymore! Just maybe they have more information than us older folks could ever imagine, and just at their finger tips, and are making educated live directing dictions?
Maybe the youth of today can make the link between the climate change we are witnessing (it's proven science and now you can witness it) from the uncontrolled polluting of this planet's atmosphere, from, I contend, over population and uncontrolled consumerism. Maybe the youth can see that this is also polluting our oceans, rivers, lakes, and land that we feed ourselves from. Maybe they see the effects of following this historic economic and population model, that we cannot seem to mitigate our way out of, while this runaway freight train is coming full steam at them. Maybe they see the unfortunate accelerated degradation happening in our cities, towns, fields, open spaces and forests.
And we are puzzled by the epidemic of youth anxiety and depression?
Obviously, "trickle-down economics" does not work either, and its failure is not helping them want more children.
Nobody in places of power seems to want to really confront the real cause of what is staring us in the face, that is too many people on this planet is making it a mess, and unlike spilled milk, we can't really clean it up quickly with a wipe of a magic wand.
Why not confront over population? Because more people means more consumers, and more consumers means more money can be made. The more money made, the more power one concentrates. This historic economic model is a vicious, ever-tighter circle that consolidates power at the very top and leaves crumbs and the clean up for those on the bottom, who must "fend for themselves" to "flourish."
Is it a wonder nothing changes, no matter what is promised?
China recognized over-population was a problem years back and limited families to one child, only to rescind that law because they are now following the west's historic economic model of consumerism. They needed more consumers and workers to temporarily hold up the economy, while keeping the population dumbed down (controlled education and internet) while they (and big business) develop AI to take over people's jobs in the near future. AI will solve the over-population problem, but you will be out of work and you know where that leads!
So, the Archbridge Institue wants us to stick our heads in the dirt like an ostrich and pretend bad things around us are not happening. Just keep doing what your told. Have babies. Everything will work out.
As Einstein said years ago about not being afraid of change and looking for different answers to the question or problem: doing the same thing over and over again the same way and expecting things will change is insanity.
So maybe the youth of today are a lot smarter than yesterday, and realize over-population is the cause of our planet's big problems, now and in the future. They understand their fate and their future family's fate is in their choices today. That choice, logically, under our circumstances today, and what we are looking at for our future on this planet, is to have less, not more children.
Maybe the youth today have decided to do something different, regardless of what the old guard tells them, so they and this planet can once again flourish?
Maybe we should be putting our money and planning into slowing population growth without crashing the economy. Out with the old and in with the new model, you could call it "self preservation" and a logical path for all, not some, to flourish.
John Willett is a retired planner, designer, developer, builder and state-certified counselor with 45 years of leadership and advocacy for conservation and recreation. He lives in Poulsbo.