*He voted NO.*

Grim, let me elaborate on that. I personally don't care what they
think of me, as I won't be around.

Yet since the early 70s, when I was living in Paris as a young student, we'd sit around with people from all over the world,
discussing these things, my point has always been much the same.

Population was around 3.5 billion and rapidly rising, I'd raise it
as an issue and people would think it crazy. The West was going
on the pill (whew that made life fun :) ), yet in the third world
they were popping em out like rabbits, due to the political
influence of the Catholic Church.

Not much has changed, IMHO eventually the whole system will crash,
nature will sort it out, as she does with other species. We are
not above nature. As a species we are seemingly smart enough to
invent new things, but too stupid to sort this one out long term.

So be it. Whether we use a few more or less resources right now is
hardly going to matter, if you look at the big picture here.

But I certainly don't care what future generations think of me,
I have long ago stopped worrying about the things that I cannot
change. Best to enjoy life, every day is a gift!

Hey Oliver. I think the tragic irony is we are only just starting to develop the wisdom to learn from our mistakes, at a time when such wisdom is most useless to us.
The value of learning from the mistakes of history is determined by how much the future is going to resemble the past.
Currently, the answer to that question looks like being: “not much”.
Adam Smith justified his creed of self interest by claiming that ultimately, it benefited everyone. At a time when the world's horizons seemed limitless, and resources inexhaustible, a philosophy of rapid and unrestrained growth seemed quite reasonable.
Today, we desperately need a new awareness. We have to start thinking of our world as a very small island, on a wide empty ocean, with strictly limited and fast diminishing resources.
Imagine living on a very small island, with no means of getting off. What would happen if a handful of individuals (say 5%) tried to monopolise 50% of the island's resources, and allowed the other 95% of islanders, to share the rest?

'What would happen if a handful of individuals (say 5%) tried to monopolise 50% of the island's resources, and allowed the other 95% of islanders, to share the rest?'

Not much if they had big enough guns.

Delusions of grandeur. Every generation thinks they are living in the most 'stand out' period. The tide will wash your sand castles away like all those before you.

Oh, and my name is Barbara, and I'm a recovering drug addict and stripper.

Hi Grim,

"What would happen if a handful of individuals (say 5%) tried to monopolise 50% of the island's resources, and allowed the other 95% of islanders, to share the rest?"

On a global scale, it might look at bit like this:

http://www.gizmag.com/go/6571/

I think population is the biggest core problem. Take care of population and climate and related issues will take of themselves. Given inaction last century, perhaps the horse has bolted.

Our planet, and everything on it, are totally inconsequential. If we took care of the planet and it survived for another 20 million years, or if we blow it up tomorrow, the universe will continue on regardless. Nothing we do, or don't do, has a bearing on the overall health or survival of the universe. We are THAT small, THAT insignificant. We are not the least bit important. To the universe we are for all eternity less important than one drop of water in all the oceans multiplied by a trillion trillion. No matter what happens to us, or our planet, the universe will continue on. We are important in only ONE way ......... to ourselves. Yet there's millions upon millions of people who think our existence is at the centre of the meaning of the universe.... tiny minds, befitting a tiny existence. Everyone on the planet, including the planet itself, is a part of that very, very, very tiny existence.