It must be realized, of course that population growth and its attendant pressure on resources is still one of the most terrifying threats to the human race in the 21st century. Perhaps not directly the most terrifying, as that is probably climate change, but that is one of the results of out of control population growth!
Still is. One of the trends that's most disturbing is the attack on agriculture. The secret to
American prosperity is cheap, abundant food; food insecurity in this country is still a long way from the out right starvatioon you see in other countries, or even the kind of poverty I grew up in fifty years ago.
Oh, I mean that it isn't everybody's bread in butter any more, in the sense that pretty much nobody makes a living from farming any more (2% in America today), whereas in the not-too-distant past, farming was the way most Americans earned their money. That kind of bread and butter!
Exactly. Bread and butter is no longer everyone's bread and butter, so we don't care as much about it as, say, about AI or lithium or oil, and that's very dangerous!
Yup. I see all these people who are deluded into thinking that a few community gardens in vacant city lots are enough to feed the whole city…talk about clueless!
When I was a kid everyone had some connection to the land; either a parent or grandparent or aunt or uncle who grew up on a farm or ranch or still lived on one. Not anymore, though…an entire generation has grown up with no connection to the land. My own kids, if they have kids, won’t have that connection anymore once I’m gone. It’s a shame.
Hitler and Stalin both killed millions of people, but nowhere near half the world, even in their times. So if Thanos had actually killed half the world, it would have been the greatest genocide in history.
On a positive note: finger-snapping is often a subtle sign that people are enjoying a piece of music. Stax Records recognized it in the 1970s when they used a snapping finger as their logo.
It must be realized, of course that population growth and its attendant pressure on resources is still one of the most terrifying threats to the human race in the 21st century. Perhaps not directly the most terrifying, as that is probably climate change, but that is one of the results of out of control population growth!
True. Thankfully current projections have us maxing out mid-century around 10 billion. I hope that's right.
Daniel: "AI hands with too many fingers is a solved problem!"
Andrew: *Shares a giant close-up image of Thanos's six-fingered hand.*
Checkmate, Daniel.
Also, yay to nitrogen-based fertilizers, which isn't a phrase I utter frequently.
Throwback Thanos! It's really just a retro problem now.
Great description of a crucial scientific and technological triumph!
Thanks, John!
As they used to say, "Farming is everybody's bread and butter!"
And it used to be true!
Still is. One of the trends that's most disturbing is the attack on agriculture. The secret to
American prosperity is cheap, abundant food; food insecurity in this country is still a long way from the out right starvatioon you see in other countries, or even the kind of poverty I grew up in fifty years ago.
Oh, I mean that it isn't everybody's bread in butter any more, in the sense that pretty much nobody makes a living from farming any more (2% in America today), whereas in the not-too-distant past, farming was the way most Americans earned their money. That kind of bread and butter!
I see, yes…which is also why it’s easy to demonize producers since most people have no connection to farming and ranching anymore.
Exactly. Bread and butter is no longer everyone's bread and butter, so we don't care as much about it as, say, about AI or lithium or oil, and that's very dangerous!
Yup. I see all these people who are deluded into thinking that a few community gardens in vacant city lots are enough to feed the whole city…talk about clueless!
When I was a kid everyone had some connection to the land; either a parent or grandparent or aunt or uncle who grew up on a farm or ranch or still lived on one. Not anymore, though…an entire generation has grown up with no connection to the land. My own kids, if they have kids, won’t have that connection anymore once I’m gone. It’s a shame.
Hitler and Stalin both killed millions of people, but nowhere near half the world, even in their times. So if Thanos had actually killed half the world, it would have been the greatest genocide in history.
On a positive note: finger-snapping is often a subtle sign that people are enjoying a piece of music. Stax Records recognized it in the 1970s when they used a snapping finger as their logo.