So we are into 2017 - just back from my morning bike ride. Feeling philosophical. This is what I have been thinking about this morning. It is wide ranging so I am going to try to package it up over the next few days.
Over life's journey we gradually work out - maybe distill down - our own philosophy. Gradually certainties of youth are tempered by life's experience, observation and learning - and eventually what is true - what we see as really important and what makes us happy. What we come up with might not be right - it might be convenient - it might be disingenuous and self serving - but on the other hand you might have acquired a worthwhile wisdom that is valuable and fosters an inner peace and happiness from understanding. Of course I feel the latter - ha!.
One of the important things in life is context. It is the ability to understand what is happening and why and to some extent understand the trends and where it is likely to lead. It helps shape expectation. It often gives ground for optimism. It also means you will not be disappointed. For me it gives me an inner strength - I cannot describe it as more than that. Maybe it allows you to be philosophical.
Gradually I will describe the building blocks I use. In this blog I am writing about the cornerstone - the key stone - Darwinism - and then the likely impact of population growth on the future.
I believe in Darwinian theory. It is impossible not to if you are objective. To deny we are animals is ridiculous. To deny we have evolved is ignorant. So my cornerstone is human beings are animals and like everything in nature the determining force is "survival of the fittest". Of course as sophisticated human beings we often (or in some cases - always) believe we have risen above base animal behaviour and that we are too compassionate, too aware, too good (maybe too religious), too liberal, too caring and too intelligent to be "animals". I do not. I believe we might battle to temper our animal instincts - to mask them and to try and deny naively that survival of the fittest is not the base motivator - but I see almost everything good and bad in this animal context.
What is amazing to me is we have all watched David Attenborough and yet still deny Darwin or at least fail to acknowledge the primordial motivation of "survival of the fittest" in human kind. We have all seen life unfold - the family unit - the strength of the pack collective. The exploitation of weakness. The consequences of failing to adapt. We have all seen winners and losers in the jungle and on the prairie. We have also seen peaceful happy co existence. We have watched what happens when numbers become too large and how nature adjusts. There is conflict in all parts of the world. The root cause ultimately is base animal instinct and behavior and much of this is to do with overcrowding and lack of or control of the resources required to sustain and improve human existence. Animal behavior is stimulated by insecurity and fear. We are part of this cycle - we are not above it - it can happen here and we are building problems for the next generation. The prevailing feeling is insecurity in an increasingly overcrowded and globalized world.
A quick summary of population growth and trends. In the last 30 years the world's population has grown by 30%. The SE of England is the most densely populated area of the EU and despite its size its geographical size it is predicted the UK will have the largest population in the EU by 2030/35.
From Wiki "Global human population growth amounts to around 75 million annually, or 1.1% per year. The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to 7 billion in 2012. It is expected to keep growing, and estimates have put the total population at 8.4 billion by mid-2030, and 9.6 billion by mid-2050."
Of course Thomas Malthus wrote about "the Malthusian Trap" and "the Malthusian Catastrophe" in his Essay on Population in the 18th century. Many have argued he was wrong because of mans ingenuity. I think he will be proved right.
If you put Darwin and the "survival of the fittest" with "over population" what are you going to get. There is only one answer and it is not a happy scenario.
My conclusion is the only thing that can secure a brighter future for us in the UK - for human kind - and the planet overall for that matter - is political change and particularly the political engagement of the young people of today waking up and really thinking about where we are heading and changing it. Hopefully this will happen. Maybe it will out of common necessity. In the UK it is obvious. We have a lot going for us. (I can't resist - Brexit is a very positive decision for us if properly implemented). But we have inexorably, indifferently and carelessly become over crowded and it is getting worse. There is neither the space (if you value the environment), jobs (AI & the demise of High Street retail will make this worse), houses, infrastructure or support systems to cope (because we cannot afford it as a nation). We have to stop making the problem worse. The one certain thing we do not need is more people. There are billions of people out there in the world increasingly competing with us for jobs, tax revenues, resources, water, fuel and food. They are not complacent like so many of our citizens. (underpinned by the Welfare State - fully versed in "entitlement" - and casual in donating and giving away what they have not actually earned or at least contributed much in creating. That was done by their forbears - who battled through two world wars amongst many other struggles..) They are hungry and motivated. Unlike us they are not taking the status quo for granted. Unlike us they are not resting on their laurels as the world population is increasing exponentially. The predicted increases are frightening and terrifying if you believe in global warming climate predictions and the effect it will have on the planet and its animals of which the human animals are the most vulnerable.
It is obvious to me that the human animals rubbing up against us will increasingly want what we have. They will take it by one way or another if we let them. (and they will not stop at a reasonable equilibrium - life is not like that - you can see it all around). It is happening now. It has been for years and it is gathering momentum. It is a battle for survival. It is a battle for us - our pride - our family - our pack - our community. If you do not understand that you are naïve. (and it is "cool" to be naïve - because of course we are sophisticated - just one big live and let live family sharing the planet together.) It is why I believe we should have the vigorous and consistent application of our laws and why I have so much trouble reconciling "liberal values" with reality. Without law and order - we would have "the law of the jungle" and that of course says it all about human kind and our animal realities.
At the end of the day - while you can try and do your bit - to live a responsible life - and influence the world around you - ultimately all that really matters is you and your family - and then your community. This is our natural instinct. Everything else is secondary. I am concerned for the future because the liberal elite and big business have such a dominant hold on our society and common (lazy) thinking. A change is necessary or I am pessimistic about mankind's future. Have you noticed where I choose to live - I am concerned it is not remote enough!
Over life's journey we gradually work out - maybe distill down - our own philosophy. Gradually certainties of youth are tempered by life's experience, observation and learning - and eventually what is true - what we see as really important and what makes us happy. What we come up with might not be right - it might be convenient - it might be disingenuous and self serving - but on the other hand you might have acquired a worthwhile wisdom that is valuable and fosters an inner peace and happiness from understanding. Of course I feel the latter - ha!.
One of the important things in life is context. It is the ability to understand what is happening and why and to some extent understand the trends and where it is likely to lead. It helps shape expectation. It often gives ground for optimism. It also means you will not be disappointed. For me it gives me an inner strength - I cannot describe it as more than that. Maybe it allows you to be philosophical.
Gradually I will describe the building blocks I use. In this blog I am writing about the cornerstone - the key stone - Darwinism - and then the likely impact of population growth on the future.
I believe in Darwinian theory. It is impossible not to if you are objective. To deny we are animals is ridiculous. To deny we have evolved is ignorant. So my cornerstone is human beings are animals and like everything in nature the determining force is "survival of the fittest". Of course as sophisticated human beings we often (or in some cases - always) believe we have risen above base animal behaviour and that we are too compassionate, too aware, too good (maybe too religious), too liberal, too caring and too intelligent to be "animals". I do not. I believe we might battle to temper our animal instincts - to mask them and to try and deny naively that survival of the fittest is not the base motivator - but I see almost everything good and bad in this animal context.
What is amazing to me is we have all watched David Attenborough and yet still deny Darwin or at least fail to acknowledge the primordial motivation of "survival of the fittest" in human kind. We have all seen life unfold - the family unit - the strength of the pack collective. The exploitation of weakness. The consequences of failing to adapt. We have all seen winners and losers in the jungle and on the prairie. We have also seen peaceful happy co existence. We have watched what happens when numbers become too large and how nature adjusts. There is conflict in all parts of the world. The root cause ultimately is base animal instinct and behavior and much of this is to do with overcrowding and lack of or control of the resources required to sustain and improve human existence. Animal behavior is stimulated by insecurity and fear. We are part of this cycle - we are not above it - it can happen here and we are building problems for the next generation. The prevailing feeling is insecurity in an increasingly overcrowded and globalized world.
A quick summary of population growth and trends. In the last 30 years the world's population has grown by 30%. The SE of England is the most densely populated area of the EU and despite its size its geographical size it is predicted the UK will have the largest population in the EU by 2030/35.
From Wiki "Global human population growth amounts to around 75 million annually, or 1.1% per year. The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to 7 billion in 2012. It is expected to keep growing, and estimates have put the total population at 8.4 billion by mid-2030, and 9.6 billion by mid-2050."
Of course Thomas Malthus wrote about "the Malthusian Trap" and "the Malthusian Catastrophe" in his Essay on Population in the 18th century. Many have argued he was wrong because of mans ingenuity. I think he will be proved right.
If you put Darwin and the "survival of the fittest" with "over population" what are you going to get. There is only one answer and it is not a happy scenario.
My conclusion is the only thing that can secure a brighter future for us in the UK - for human kind - and the planet overall for that matter - is political change and particularly the political engagement of the young people of today waking up and really thinking about where we are heading and changing it. Hopefully this will happen. Maybe it will out of common necessity. In the UK it is obvious. We have a lot going for us. (I can't resist - Brexit is a very positive decision for us if properly implemented). But we have inexorably, indifferently and carelessly become over crowded and it is getting worse. There is neither the space (if you value the environment), jobs (AI & the demise of High Street retail will make this worse), houses, infrastructure or support systems to cope (because we cannot afford it as a nation). We have to stop making the problem worse. The one certain thing we do not need is more people. There are billions of people out there in the world increasingly competing with us for jobs, tax revenues, resources, water, fuel and food. They are not complacent like so many of our citizens. (underpinned by the Welfare State - fully versed in "entitlement" - and casual in donating and giving away what they have not actually earned or at least contributed much in creating. That was done by their forbears - who battled through two world wars amongst many other struggles..) They are hungry and motivated. Unlike us they are not taking the status quo for granted. Unlike us they are not resting on their laurels as the world population is increasing exponentially. The predicted increases are frightening and terrifying if you believe in global warming climate predictions and the effect it will have on the planet and its animals of which the human animals are the most vulnerable.
It is obvious to me that the human animals rubbing up against us will increasingly want what we have. They will take it by one way or another if we let them. (and they will not stop at a reasonable equilibrium - life is not like that - you can see it all around). It is happening now. It has been for years and it is gathering momentum. It is a battle for survival. It is a battle for us - our pride - our family - our pack - our community. If you do not understand that you are naïve. (and it is "cool" to be naïve - because of course we are sophisticated - just one big live and let live family sharing the planet together.) It is why I believe we should have the vigorous and consistent application of our laws and why I have so much trouble reconciling "liberal values" with reality. Without law and order - we would have "the law of the jungle" and that of course says it all about human kind and our animal realities.
At the end of the day - while you can try and do your bit - to live a responsible life - and influence the world around you - ultimately all that really matters is you and your family - and then your community. This is our natural instinct. Everything else is secondary. I am concerned for the future because the liberal elite and big business have such a dominant hold on our society and common (lazy) thinking. A change is necessary or I am pessimistic about mankind's future. Have you noticed where I choose to live - I am concerned it is not remote enough!
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