Stupid cultures

[jimmy olsen]

If only Kissinger had accepted Mao's offer of 10 million women, now there's a shortage and we'll never have that opportunity again. 

[Pat]

Right, that is a problem, but I think it's a comparatively small problem as opposed to China's already very large population to keep on growing until there's quite literally no more room for them anymore. What you mention is a source of social friction, but not something, I think, potentially leading to war (are they going to go to war to conquer women, in this day and age?).

The issue of what makes populations grow explosively (which is to say, medical applications which reduce infant mortality while the customs still act as though infant mortality is high) are pretty well understood, I would think.  China's one-child policy is a political act designed to buy time until the countervailing forces (women getting educated, and so able and desirous of having fewer children because they have other interests than just being moms) take effect.

As usual with political solutions, it has had unintended side effects. 

I think it is a fascinating problem and solution.  Every society that has undergone the industrial revolution has seen this kind of population growth, but few such societies have had a leadership that understands the dynamics and wants to shortcut the solution.   The combination of rationality and irrationality in China's leadership makes any study of that country fascinating, and this is just an example.  It is hard to say whether, in the end, their efforts will be more successful than would have been simply focusing on the long-term solution.

Well put. I agree. As for reasons for ballooning population growth, I'd also include the desire, in many countries, to have children who care for you when you're old, especially in places where there are no institutions caring for the old, or where culture has not adapted to these institutions (or find them inadequate or does not trust them for other reasons).

[Razgovory]

People are still banging the drum of the overpopulation?  I remember reading a novel a while back called "stand on the Zanzibar where the world groans under the overpopulation of a staggering 7 Billion people.  This naturally creates a terrible dystopia.  Looking it up it takes place in the far away date of 2010.

[Pat]

I'm not painting any doomsday-scenarios or anything, I'm just saying that the fewer the people, the better.

[grumbler]

Well put. I agree. As for reasons for ballooning population growth, I'd also include the desire, in many countries, to have children who care for you when you're old, especially in places where there are no institutions caring for the old, or where culture has not adapted to these institutions (or find them inadequate or does not trust them for other reasons).

Indeed.  I should have noted the importance of alternative methods of OAP support as one of the causes of limited post-industrialization population growth.

[grumbler]

I'm not painting any doomsday-scenarios or anything, I'm just saying that the fewer the people, the better.

Within limits, I agree.

You don't want too much population decline, else the structure for support of the aged collapses.  Japan is toying with that now.

[Razgovory]

I'm not painting any doomsday-scenarios or anything, I'm just saying that the fewer the people, the better.

Why?

[Pat]

Grumbler: Yes, the transition to a declining population can be problematic if it's going too fast (and I'm inclined to believe that much of our current financial turmoil is due to traditional economic models not taking this demographic transition into consideration: too many ageing people saving for their retirement and not enough young people to invest their money in = creation of bubbles). But for all the troubles in the transition phase I'd say it's something good in the long run.

Raz: Because there will be less competition over the earth's resources, and easier to provide good living standards to as many people as possible.

[Razgovory]

Raz: Because there will be less competition over the earth's resources, and easier to provide good living standards to as many people as possible.

Everything becomes very expensive though.

[dps]

I think it's quite the opposite, having tens of millions of frustrated young men makes a society more unstable and violent, and thus more likely for them to be used in some sort of hostile endeavor.

Just convert 'em all to Catholics.  Then the Vatican can recruit 'em all as priests:  "Look, you're never gonna get a woman anyway, so sign up with us.  You still won't get any women, but you might manage to nail a girl, or a boy if that's your thing, and we'll look the other way".  The Catholics solve their shortage of priests, the Chinese solve their excess young men problem, and since Marty hates Catholics, he'll have a cow over the sudden conversion of millions of Chinese, and then he'll post some overwrought, shrill stuff that we can all laugh at him for.  It's win-win-win!

[Crazy_Ivan80]

I am less than shocked that a nazi thinks that genocide is the answer.   I spy more than a bit of self-interest there.

Nazi?  I'm not even a German.  Isn't that a bit of a strawman?

Hitler wasn't either :p

[Martim Silva]

But meh, I'd rather they abort than they kill babies. Better for the woman too.

If only. But abortions are really just the tip of the iceberg, I fear. 

I am quite sorry to say that many chinese orphanages have 'dying rooms', destined to kill young girls, especially by starvation. Some are little more than death camps. They kill many thousands, if not millions, every year.

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/core9/phalsall/texts/c-wnhol.html

http://www.taliacarner.com/thedyingroomsspecialreport.html

http://www.unmadeinchina.org/galleria.asp?lang=en&idPag=206

The BBC also ran a story about this. But the West doesn't care one iota about the whole issue. The victims are not Jewish.

[Josquius]

But meh, I'd rather they abort than they kill babies. Better for the woman too.

If only. But abortions are really just the tip of the iceberg, I fear. 

I am quite sorry to say that many chinese orphanages have 'dying rooms', destined to kill young girls, especially by starvation. Some are little more than death camps. They kill many thousands, if not millions, every year.

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/core9/phalsall/texts/c-wnhol.html

http://www.taliacarner.com/thedyingroomsspecialreport.html

http://www.unmadeinchina.org/galleria.asp?lang=en&idPag=206

The BBC also ran a story about this. But the West doesn't care one iota about the whole issue. The victims are not Jewish.

How odd, you'd expect government orphanages to be killing off boys and keeping the girls to try and fix their problem- they're not their heirs afterall.

They could copy Lexx and have wife farms.

[DGuller]

The BBC also ran a story about this. But the West doesn't care one iota about the whole issue. The victims are not Jewish.

Why is it the fault of the West that some Chinese can't be bothered to convert to Judaism?

[Mr.Penguin]

If only Kissinger had accepted Mao's offer of 10 million women, now there's a shortage and we'll never have that opportunity again. 

They would properly all be ugly and indoctrinated in the "evil commie" way...