Hi Ralph, And a very Merry Christmas to you too! No offense taken.
Why do we worry about "offense" ? Seriously...
I agree a world without violence sounds nirvana-like. But its unrealistic. Male humans seem to have a genetic inkling for fighting. Perhaps this is our extension of "survival of the fittest" ? Take away all the weaponry, all the guns and all the bombs, and someone will invent a lever that slings rocks, and someone else will start slinging bigger rocks.
Population reduction is paramount to world peace. There are too many people begetting too many more people and an imbalanced distribution of population and resources. I have no reasonable answer for this, just a great sadness.
In Alaska there is not a high human density, and people are cordial and friendly. Oregon used to be that way too. Go to the Tokyo environs and people live in private inner spaces, that we Americans senselessly trample with our eyes.
I respect the Chinese government for trying to deal with this large problem as humanely as possible yet pragmaticly by demanding young families to limit their progeny to 1 per, and providing social disincentives for otherwise. This is a world serious problem. Children in the Chinese culture are a most treasured part of society. What a great sacrifice this must be culturally!
When you live in a sparsely populated place like California (relative to the other side of the Pacific), one tends to not realize the suffering and pressure that can exist. Japan, the size of California, has 5 times the population. Your nearby town suddenly is 25000 and growing. The City is 1.5 million, just imagine!
Nobody sane desires warfare, but everyone desires things. Not everyone's desires can be met without warfare, consider Bosnia or the MiddleEast or Cambodia/Thai or the tribal hatreds/jealousies of Africa. Its a terribly complex world and sadly over-populated.
Just think of the paranoia that will set in if Del's hopes and dreams come true - SETI finally succeeds! Then we will have THEM to loathe hate and fear. It'll unite the military power of this world though.
And on that happy thought Happy New Year! |
