On the flip side, I just read a fascinating chapter in Richard Dawkins’ “The Magic of Reality” about ‘Why Do Bad Things Happen?’ The fact that evolution is primarily geared to do ‘bad things’ to other organisms, and sometimes even the host organism, sure explains a lot!

In no way can I point a finger at anyone about overpopulation, since I brought 4 children into this world myself. And I now have… 14 grandchildren! ::blush:: I have thus certainly donated more than my fair share to the human gene pool –for good or evil.

I will admit, however, that our species’ instinct that “happiness = prosperity = growth” concerns me. After all, the planet is not growing.

It is in our very genes, of course, to replicate themselves as much as possible, “hedge their bets” biologically, as you state.

Nonetheless, I just wish our species could wrap these (supposedly) larger brains around the mathematical reality of exponential growth. I certainly did not understand it when I was younger, being far too indoctrinated by a (now abandoned) religious indoctrination –which still plagues most of my descendents into thinking there is a “deity” who mandates as many babies as possible.

Sooner or later, I fear that humankind will face a Malthusian crisis –just like any other organism that produces more offspring than the environment can sustain. I hope I’m wrong about that, but so far… the trends do not look encouraging.