Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Mankind, the virus on our planet?

Another mention of the 'policy that dare not speak its name', this time from outspoken MEP Chris Davies, as reported in the Cumbrian News & Star, who reckons that "young couples should have no more than one child in a bid to stop global warming."

"While every individual should be cherished, mankind’s reproduction is akin to the replication of a virus. We are swamping the planet and devouring its resources."

In a sense it's difficult to disagree with that last statement, but who is ever going to propose 'population growth control' as a mainstream policy? Perhaps, if H5N1 (the virulent strain of avian flu) ever mutates to a human to human transferable virus, such a policy may not even be necessary?

2 comments:

Emma said...

Rather depends on his constituency, but one has to admire any pol who goes out on such a limb!

There are few who would support this openly, no matter how their logic may see some merits. Not if they don't want a ton of interest groups getting much knicker elastic wound around a lathe.

And it's not like Cumbria is where the real problem lies... or is it?

Nice conspiracy theory starter for 10 at the end there. Last one I recall was AIDS was designed by [insert dodgy right wing group] to get rid of [any group not in the acceptabel lifestyle list of the former].

Or maybe Gaia has just decided on a bit of Malthusian correction, old-style. It always intrigues me that many who 'espouse' the infallibility of nature in all this end-of-dasy stuff, yet ignores the fundamental design constructs (flaws) of homo sapiens, such as breed & radiate, plus the whole omnivore thing.

Was bound to end in tears eventually. Unless Branson will get us out of this pickle on Virgin Galactic.

Dave said...

Cumbria isn't exactly over populated, well, other than on bank holidays!

Not really a conspiracy theory. Influenza does mutate regularly, and has a somewhat significant impact on the population, especially when it's a new virulent strain [as the epidemic during the time of WWI showed]. In light of the fact that almost 50% of the humans who have actually caught avian flu have died, it may well possibly be one way that Gaia gets revenge for what humanity has done to the planet.

Ah yes, the Branson galactic emigration enterprise. The Virgin shuttle hyperspace jumps to a habitable planet near Andromeda in July 2032 - book your tickets now!