78 Discussing Overpopulation: Let's Clear the Minefield

<p>Why do discussions of overpopulation often elicit emotional responses of fear, anger, or indignation? Are anger and indignation what prevents productive discussion of population? These responses in a graduate college class provide an opportunity to explore how we might pave the way for productive conversations. Our guest in this episode, Professor Christopher Bystroff of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute wonders whether a “global therapy session” could end what he describes as a “global, sullen silence.” We need intelligent discourse on the subject, but too often it is being shut down.</p> <p>Open, honest, and factual discussion of the human overpopulation crisis can put an end to the myths, misassumptions and misinformation that cloud the subject. Spoiler alert: we don’t find a fast-acting, magic solution, but Dave does come up with one good idea – “a pill that makes men more mature.”</p> <p><br /> <strong>MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:</strong></p> <p>Chris Bystroff<br /> <a href="https://faculty.rpi.edu/chris-bystroff" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">https://faculty.rpi.edu/chris-bystroff </a><br /> <br /> <em>Footprints to Singularity: A Global Population Model Explains Late 20th Century Slow-Down and Predicts Peak Within Ten Years</em> – by Chris Bystroff<br /> <a href= "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0247214" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0247214</a><br /> <br /> <em>Don’t Reduce Your Footprint!</em> – by Mathis Wackernagel<br /> <a href= "https://www.footprintnetwork.org/2023/01/18/dont-reduce-your-footprint/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">https://www.footprintnetwork.org/2023/01/18/dont-reduce-your-footprint/?</a><br /> <br /> <em>You Deserve the Truth About Overpopulation</em> – by Dave Gardner (in our Ending Overshoot Medium publication)<br /> <a href= "https://medium.com/ending-overshoot/you-deserve-the-truth-about-overpopulation-784f40e46902" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">https://medium.com/endin