The Big Question.

It was mentioned in an earlier post that our existential conundrum is that our planet is too small.  Actually, it is the perfect size for us, and it’s we that have grown too numerous - by several orders of magnitude.  This is, of course, the mother of all problems and it’s no wonder that we chase after every shiny object trying forget about it.  Any and all distractions are welcome if they save us from contemplating how thin we have worn the welcome mat.   How else can you explain such phenomena as Rick Perry, Beanie Babies or the Home Shopping Channel?

There might be some readers who will insist this is an overly dramatic, apocalyptic view of things and that, even if the general trend is not good, we still have a lot of time to change.  Maybe, maybe not.  I’m betting that, if there is a seventh generation of our descendants, they will have wished we did more sooner to fix things.

 I think those who are planning for trouble based on the Mayan calendar have an apocalyptic view.  Others, who are paying attention to patterns of life on earth and see disturbing trends, are simply being observant.

Almost 7 billion of us are consuming resources at an all-time high rate, and creating more waste than ever before.  By 2050, it is expected that earth will be asked to host 50% more of us..... (I would ask any Tea Party member, if this many of us has had no significant impact so far, what is the magic number beyond which we've suddenly got problems?  Is there such a point in our future on this finite planet? - or maybe we should just worry about that question later - right now, it’s about jobs, jobs, jobs!)

Is it inevitable that this population prediction will come true?  By no means, that’s why predictions are so difficult. (Especially about the future. Predictions about the past are often right on the mark.) Climate change and rising sea levels will probably make many populous, coastal areas unlivable and widespread eco-refugee migration will concentrate population elsewhere which could lower regional birthrates, thanks to a way-less-than-romantic mood at that point. It is not at all unimaginable that the rate of population growth will flatten out or even decline somewhat in the next few decades, if circumstances get severe enough.  

All of our species’ problems are related to overpopulation, including those that are like the horses we’ve already let out of the barn - they’re running wild on their own now.  These are the ones that will probably have the greatest influence on birth and death rates:  climate change, drug-resistant viruses, invasive species, etc.   It also seems that our gluttonous rate of increased energy and resource consumption almost has a life of its own.  So, we can probably expect some “corrections”, as the market analysts are fond of saying when they get their lunch handed to them.

What is not hospitable for 8 or 9 billion can’t be too good for 5 or 6 billion either.  It won’t be wonderful for any number of billions.  We’re looking at a difficult scenario for the grandchildren.

So, what to do?  What to tell the grandchildren?  At the risk of taking this post on a wildly divergent path, and of boldly diving into ridiculously deep water, I’ll put out a couple of off-the-wall questions:  

For one, well, wouldn’t it be helpful to know for sure if there is a God?  If God swoops down out of the clouds on Judgment Day, like an ace thrown on the last trick, well then I owe the fire and brimstone evangelists an apology, and I’ll be packing my bags for hell!  It’s beyond bothersome that we can’t know for sure, not in the same way you can for sure know the contents of the phone book for example.  

Should we get really serious about recycling, turning out the lights and growing a vegetable garden, or just attend church regularly?  Both? Neither?  

This leads to the biggest of all the big questions and I’ll pose it here, but then address it in more detail another time soon: Did God create Man or did Man create God?  This can be “answered” by faith alone, or through a logical process we can at least examine the question a little more clearly and do a sort of “work-around” on the answer.  In any case, please stop by again soon with your thinking cap securely strapped on.