What About Human Population?

In my last couple of posts, I've been discussing Maurice King and his concept of demographic entrapment. I have been looking over his list of 'demons' guarding the Hardinian Taboo (listed on his website here.) I thought I'd make a condensed list, based on his. His thinking has remarkable scope, to the point that it is very difficult to follow organizationally.

Anyway, here's my list. It's a work in progress, as I refine and eliminate redundancies.

Impediments to open discussion about overpopulation
grouped into related issues:

• Resistance of rich countries to reducing their levels of resource consumption
• Capitalist economy’s investment in status quo; resistance to change
• Flawed economic view which does not account for cost of replacing base resources/ repairing environmental damage while manufacturing goods

• Perceived and actual negative effects of one-child families

• Human rights movement’s relationship to reproduction
• Feminist’s relationship to reproduction
• Religious objection to contraception
• Religious objection to abortion
• Revered status of children in Western culture

• Cultural/Regional attitudes favoring high fertility/children as a proof of virility
  

• Apathy and disconnectedness of majority of citizens
• Fear of facing the issue and its implications
• Political correctness/Fear of heated argument (‘benign uproar’)
• Fear of being considered ethnocentric/racist/classist/mysogynist/mysopedist/fascist
• Fear of implementing coercive measures

• Unrealistic expectations that new technology will provide solutions

I'm not even sure that covers it all. But at least I'm looking out over a wider view of the problem than I was before - thanks, Dr. King.