Yabby: <Dear Squeers,

If sustainability is your no one issue, how to you justify having
six kids?>

Dear Yabby,
well, I am a little embarrassed about that.. Circumstances, old chap; ..I'm a victim of circumstances?
Never had my first kid till I was 36, but then..
Go figure?
Maybe I can breed enough socialists to take over.. ?

Dear ALGOREisRICH,
you certainly are 'rich',
There was a guy on the radio today, (Joe Bageant) I reckon you could relate to, well, in everything but his politics. I suggest you have a listen:
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bigideas/

He makes a lot of sense to me; but I doubt you'll get it..

But seriously, people like me have hitherto been in the minority, allowing people like you to set the agenda and crow about your unspeakable mentality ... as if it actually made sense... !

*Maybe I can breed enough socialists to take over.. ?*

Sheesh Squeers, I have heard the fanatically religious make
similar claims. I think they will beat you in the race.

I also have bad news for you. I watched a programme on ABC
tonight, about a fungus/worm harvested in Tibet, for Chinese
medicine and worth serious money. Those Tibetans were digging
away furiously and I doubt if you will convince them of your
ideology.

Population is of course the elephant in the room. It has
been my prediction for a long time, that eventually it will
sink the human race. But I now understand why you never mention
it, but focus on those of us who might buy an extra ipod or
whatever.

Mind you Squeers, I do respect your honesty for admitting that
you are not consistant.

It cannot be denied however, that your actions will result
in a far larger drain of the planet's resources, then even
a capitalist like me would dream of.

.

Dear ALGOREisRICH, Yabby,

.

As anybody who has had to do business in a number of different countries over a long period of time will understand, it is no simple matter to correctly interpret people and circumstances in different cultures with different historical backgrounds and customs, symbolical references and sets of values.

I have learned from observation that very young children understand much faster and far better than adults in this type of situation. Children are less inclined than adults to simply paste their "world view" on everything and everyone they encounter. They have a more open-minded approach and are far more observant and receptive. They learn quickly, are more critical, make fewer mistakes, are more pertinent and better equipped to develop sound judgement on people and events than adults.

The learning curve, nevertheless, even for children, stretches out over several years of exposure to foreign cultures and environments.

I think we should keep this in mind before making rash judgements about nearly fifty million French people (70% of the population), including Nobel prize winners in literature, physics, medicine ... as well as several Field's medallists for outstanding discoveries in mathematics ...

For a country that is only 6.5% the size of Australia with three times the population (and three times the competition), there is not much room for bludgers, particularly during the long hard winters without adequate food and shelter from the freezing cold.

The € 32 billion current deficit of the French retirement fund can hardly be attributed to any "welfare state" policy instigated and maintained over the past fifteen years since the liberal conservative political parties have been in power. On the contrary, the liberal conservatives have slashed mercilessly into the country’s national social security scheme creating additional hardship for the poor who no longer have access to proper medical and dental care. Their only resort is assistance from the Salvation Army or similar humanitarian organisations.

The present revolt is a clear sign from the home of Human Rights that social and economic injustice is dangerously close to what the it considers the ultimate limit.

.

Dear Yabby,
I started a thread asking the question, does capitalism drive population growth? So I don't know how you can say "I never mention population". I'm acutely aware it's a big problem. I think capitalism does drive unsustainable population growth (in order to drive economic growth), but I have to do some research on the matter before I would make the assertion outright.
I've also quoted Emerson before, who said that "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds"

*So I don't know how you can say "I never mention population". I'm acutely aware it's a big problem*

Squeers, I stand corrected, you did indeed start that thread.
You just perhaps did not explain how a good socialist like
yourself, aware of population issues, had 6 children. Perhaps
its not capitalism after all, but our social welfare system,
which gives people huge amounts of money to feed the many offspring.

Had it been real capitalism, you have em, you feed em. We offer
you family planning if you wish. Choose and live by the
consequences of your actions.

My solution. Assist people with the first two kids if you wish,
after that, they are on their own.

But our social welfare state would never accept that kind of
logic.