A population that is overrepresented beyond sustainability will feel some sort of backlash (I think this is called the revenge effect). Is the human species collectively able to make the choice to stop an overall population increase before there is a revenge effect?

If we were to suppose that all humans were capable of this trait, we would also be acknowledging something that (to my knowledge) has not happened in our evolution; an entire species choosing not to further increase their representation in the gene pool for a long term view of survival.

This has been a consistent road block for me.

Unlike members of other species, individual humans CAN choose whether to increase their representation in the gene pool or not. As a species, however, it can be predicted with a high degree of certainty that, if our food supply increases, our population will increase, just as it does with all other species.

I’ve never believed that individual decisions not to reproduce were going to end our disastrous overpopulation of this planet, but rather that the food race (in which increased food production is constantly answered by increased population growth) can be ended when enough individuals understand that this race is leading us headlong to catastrophe.

I hope this removes the “road block” for you.

ID: 721
posted:
updated: 26 Jun 2005