Fast-growing India needs '2nd green revolution': PM

July 16, 2011

Farmers plant rice in a paddy field in Milanmore village on the outskirts of Siliguri last week

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Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called Saturday for a second "green revolution" to feed the country's burgeoning population that is forecast to overtake China in numbers by 2025.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called Saturday for a second "green revolution" to feed the country's burgeoning population that is forecast to overtake China in numbers by 2025.

Under India's "Green Revolution" in the 1960s and 70s -- seen as one of the world's most successful agricultural turnarounds -- planting of high-yield varieties of wheat and rice resulted in a sharp output rise.

"We all look back proudly to our green revolution which helped us overcome and banish the spectre of starvation," Singh told a conference of agricultural scientists.

But now, "we clearly need a second that is broad-based, inclusive and sustainable", he said, noting agriculture productivity has plateaued and "yields continue to be much lower than what is attainable".

Experts say India must increase yields to feed its population which already stands at 1.21 billion people. India is expected to supplant China as the world's most populous nation by 2025, according to Indian official projections.

Singh said the agriculture sector is growing at three percent annually -- one percent below target -- helping drive food inflation that has spiralled faster than in most major economies, causing huge misery for India's poor.

India is poised to introduce a food security bill aiming to guarantee cheap food grains for nearly 70 percent of the population which will impose even greater food production challenges.

Last year, India's premier economic policymaking body raised its estimate of the number of Indians living in poverty and unable to meet their nutritional needs from 28 percent to 37 percent -- representing some 440 million people.

The prime minister called for the spending outlay on agriculture research and development to double or even triple by 2020 as he projected demand for food grains will grow to 280 million tons by 2020-21.

The government on Saturday estimated the country's food grain output touched a record 241 million tonnes in the crop year that ended in June -- 23 million tonnes more than the previous crop year.

India recorded bumper grain output during 2010-11, helped by abundant monsoon rains, and is hoping for another strong monsoon this year.

(c) 2011 AFP

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Telekinetic
Jul 16, 2011

Rank: 3.6 / 5 (12)
"How about a birth control revolution"?
mrlewish
Jul 16, 2011

Rank: 3.9 / 5 (14)
I have a solution. Try condoms/family planning and educating the women. That way you won't need to scramble for food.
ShotmanMaslo
Jul 16, 2011

Rank: 3.1 / 5 (11)
Strong fertility reduction incentives, or even population control like in China is the revolution India truly needs. They need to treat the cause, not just the symptoms.
that_guy
Jul 16, 2011

Rank: 3.2 / 5 (9)
Dear Indian Prime minister, we have three much better ideas than the one you presented. Please pick one of the above, and you might actually find a sustainable solution!
Archetype
Jul 16, 2011

Rank: 2.6 / 5 (15)
Who the hell are you idiots to say that people cannot reproduce as they wish. We are talking about Indians here... the people who invented the modern numeral system on which EVERYTHING is based. The poverty that exists only does so because western powers raped them for so many years. A high population will only benefit the nation in the long run when stability is achieved....
Justsayin
Jul 16, 2011

Rank: 2.7 / 5 (13)
How about econ 101. Quit strangling your economic output by hampering the producers with red tape, rules, regs that do nothing but increase costs and reduce productivity while empowering bureaucrats.
Archetype
Jul 16, 2011

Rank: 2.6 / 5 (10)
How about econ 101. Quit strangling your economic output by hampering the producers with red tape, rules, regs that do nothing but increase costs and reduce productivity while empowering bureaucrats.


Right instead give freedom to the producers so that they may pursue maximum profit by creating goods meant to last a minute and then be replaced all at a cost to the consumer and humanities rate of progress........ right.
Alex_Hoffmann
Jul 16, 2011

Rank: 3.3 / 5 (7)
The only thing holding India back is the corrupt politicians. If the corrupt politicians stop doing all the scandals and stop eating all the money, then I am sure that India will become developed in two decades. Those people here underestimating India and making stupid remarks, let me tell you that although it is true that India has a lot of poverty, India also has most researchers, scientists and a lot of educated people. Maybe instead of making stupid comments on here, if you were to stop eating your Junk food and drinking coca cola, and get out there and help the people in Africa and developing countries such as India and China....then the world would be a better place. U people here making stupid comments are no better than the corrupt politicians. Ask the orphans in Africa who just lost their parents about how they struggle day to day life. It is these people in developing countries such as India, China, and South east Asia, and Africa that work their ass of make your life lavish.
Alex_Hoffmann
Jul 16, 2011

Rank: 2.3 / 5 (9)
That dude/dudette who posted the comment "condom revolution"...what a sick person he/she is. People like you deserve to be in Africa starving and dieing, not the innocent African naive children.
Telekinetic
Jul 16, 2011

Rank: 3.5 / 5 (12)
It is because we respect humanity that we call for rational choices, which would include two children per family, the logical number of humans to replace their parents. That is all it is- not racism. We also can't bear to see children suffering, not only starving, but neglected in a family overwhelmed by too little of everything. Only a very selfish person encourages rampant reproduction- that isn't freedom at all. That is slavery and indignity.
diego
Jul 16, 2011

Rank: 2.4 / 5 (7)
Here's the deal guys, depending on what religion you follow, or what nation you live in, the "birth control" you are suggesting will often take form as abortion. In much of the world, abortion is considered "murdering babies" by uneducated sheep, following a religious dogma without any basis in scientific reality. Therefore, child control policies such as those in china would be extremely difficult to implement in most, if not all western nations, as all nations need this kind of birth control, not just India.(If you would not be willing to live with a population control law similar to the one china has, you have no right to speak, as that would make you a hypocrite.) A more effective solution would be making having more than two children made unacceptable in the eyes of society, make it shameful and irresponsible to have more than two children, and to make it so that society views people who have more than two children as being selfish.
diego
Jul 16, 2011

Rank: 2.8 / 5 (8)
I realize what i'm proposing sounds harsh, but consider the alternative, and what we are already gong through. Today, this planet is already massively overpopulated with almost 7 billion people. By 2030, the population is expected to be 9 billion. Here is where we are, what is happening, for all those naive people who like to stay ignorant about the suffering happening in the world, and criticize people who actually want the situation to become better. We already have hundreds of millions of people without access to clean food, and clean water. Yes, a major cause of this is unequal distribution of resources. But that does not explain the millions in not just africa, but asia, south america, mexico, hell, the united states of america, who are unable to afford or get food.
diego
Jul 16, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (7)
A high population will only benefit the nation in the long run when stability is achieved....


What evidence do you have for these ridiculous claims? The way for a nation's economy to become better is for it's people to become more educated, so that they can get higher paying jobs, so that they can buy products, which will cause jobs to be created in manufacturing, which would further lower the nations unemployment and poverty levels, which would build the nations economy. It's a simple chain reaction. Yet, you believe that having a mother having a half dozen or so children will help increase the Indian peoples education level? How will that take place when the father is working all day to put food on the table so his children do not go to bed hungry, and the mother is spending her day feeding her children, and otherwise being a mother? further, by having many children, the parents cannot afford to send their children to college, causing a new generation of poverty.
Alex_Hoffmann
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3.4 / 5 (5)
The only thing that I hope for is that the corrupt politicians in India get caught so that India gains freedom and then watch India grow exponentially. These corrupt politicians eat hundreds of billions of dollars in funds, taxes, and a whole lot of shit that they could be spending on education and clean water.
diego
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 1 / 5 (2)
The only thing that I hope for is that the corrupt politicians in India get caught so that India gains freedom and then watch India grow exponentially. These corrupt politicians eat hundreds of billions of dollars in funds, taxes, and a whole lot of shit that they could be spending on education and clean water.


Sources?
ShotmanMaslo
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2.3 / 5 (6)
Who the hell are you idiots to say that people cannot reproduce as they wish.


It is highly unethical for people living in poverty to reproduce. It harms either the society that has to take care of their offsprings, or the children themselves, when not even their basic needs are satisfied.
ShotmanMaslo
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 1 / 5 (2)
Who the hell are you idiots to say that people cannot reproduce as they wish.


It is highly unethical for people living in poverty to reproduce. It harms either the society that has to take care of their offsprings, or even worse, the children themselves, when not even their basic needs are satisfied.

Shootist
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3.4 / 5 (5)
Who the hell are you idiots to say that people cannot reproduce as they wish.


It is highly unethical for people living in poverty to reproduce. It harms either the society that has to take care of their offsprings, or even worse, the children themselves, when not even their basic needs are satisfied.



And you have the moral authority and ethical superiority to make this decision for the other 6 billion?

Every tinpot dictator has felt the same way.
Husky
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 1 / 5 (2)
According to David Pimentel, professor of ecology and agriculture at Cornell University, it takes more water to grow a kilogram of rice than a kilogram of potatoes. In a study, published in the February 1997 issue of science journal BioScience, Pimentel found it took 1900 litres of water to grow 1kg of rice and only 500 litres of water to grow 1kg of potatoes.

An 2002 Australian study by the CSIRO found producing 1kg of oven-dried rice required 1550 litres of water.

However, the Ricegrowers Association of Australia says in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, rice is probably one of the cleaner crops. An industry study found methane emission - one of the main contributors to greenhouse gases - in Australia from rice-growing is 75 per cent less than in any other rice-growing country. Also it contributes only 1 per cent to Australia's overall agricultural greenhouse emissions.

Even though rice has been the staple of Asian diets for centuries, it seems potatoes may become the crop of cho
Burnerjack
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3.5 / 5 (4)
How 'bout this one: To people all over the world "don't have children if you cannot support and feed them." The personal economics of the world will always follow the bell curve if allowed. There will always be pverty as there will always be the super rich as there will always be the vast middle class. Being responsible for those you bring into this world is a great first step in shifting that curve towards the right.
Husky
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 1.3 / 5 (3)
also, if you use a solar cooker for the potatoes you can save on cooking water / stove wood/coal/gas emissions as well down the road, you cant solar cook rice without water
ShotmanMaslo
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 1 / 5 (3)
And you have the moral authority and ethical superiority to make this decision for the other 6 billion?

Every tinpot dictator has felt the same way.


Ethical superiority in this case, over those that do procreate irresponsibly, yes, I could have it. No single person has such moral authority.

This argument could be made about almost any law you or I deem right, by the way, so why are you talking about dictators only. Do you have the moral authority and ethical superiority to make the decision about murder for 7 billion people?
jamesrm
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2.3 / 5 (3)
http://www.youtub...eyT6i4cI
With this technology getting cheap enough to appear into every village and urban centre in India they will abort every female fetus eventually leading to negative population growth
Archetype
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3.3 / 5 (4)
With a higher population comes increased chances of super geniuses being born.... these super geniuses are the ones who radically change the world and humanities rate of progress. And it is good that Indians are reproducing so much because it is Indians who created the foundation for the modern world to develop as it does. Without them we would still be using stupid roman numerals......a joke.
Archetype
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (4)
Also Indians and other asians dominate the education system here in the US...leaving all other races in the dust. Who the hell are you to tell them to stop reproducing?

Soon when the poor of India finally have access to the resources that they have been denied all this time... their dormant minds will be unleashed to the world and the domination that ensues when they live in developed countries will take place at home. Perhaps you know this and fear it?
Titus_Lovecraft
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 4 / 5 (4)
I think its important to note that Indians have a higher income per capita than Whites here in the US. Archetype has a point.

Also India had the highest GDP for most of recorded history until the west decided to get their barbaric Rape on... just sayin. But hey it looks like all of the previously raped are poised to become the new rapers...so it all evens out in the end.
Telekinetic
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2 / 5 (4)
"With a higher population comes increased chances of super geniuses being born.... these super geniuses are the ones who radically change the world and humanities rate of progress." And we had such high hopes for you, Archetype. I suppose we'll just have to wait for the next 100 million to be born.
Archetype
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2.6 / 5 (5)
"With a higher population comes increased chances of super geniuses being born.... these super geniuses are the ones who radically change the world and humanities rate of progress." And we had such high hopes for you, Archetype. I suppose we'll just have to wait for the next 100 million to be born.


Joke all you want... But at least im not the idiot that wants to limit reproduction of a race who seems to be more intelligent than Whites caeteris paribus of course.
Telekinetic
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (4)
"But hey it looks like all of the previously raped are poised to become the new rapers...so it all evens out in the end."

From what mental facility were you just released, Titus ?

Titus_Lovecraft
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (2)
"But hey it looks like all of the previously raped are poised to become the new rapers...so it all evens out in the end."

From what mental facility were you just released, Titus ?



Im sorry was china not previously raped by the west....? Does china not bankroll america right now? I smell rape a comin tele... sorry you cant see.
Telekinetic
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3.7 / 5 (3)
And what have you learned from an oppressed history born of domination and supremacy? You've become supremacists seeking domination.
Johannes_H_Larsen
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (2)
Shit will truly hit the fan when global warming accelerates later on in the decade. India will be in a lot of pain.
Titus_Lovecraft
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2.3 / 5 (3)
And what have you learned from an oppressed history born of domination and supremacy? You've become supremacists seeking domination.


You misjudge me... I am no supremacist. There is evil even among Indians as there is among all races... it is stupid to declare supremecy, that is something the other Aryans did while using our swastikas and words.... The word aryan after all is sanskrit... I simply believe that you have no right to tell a race that they should limit reproduction... especially after knowing that they do so well living in developed countries.
diego
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3.7 / 5 (6)
You guys are being totally blind sighted. Do you really think India is the only nation who is under going, or in threat of undergoing, a food shortage? This crisis has absolutely nothing to do with how badly Indians have been treated in the past. Every nation on earth needs to come together to stop population growth if we are to avoid a worldwide famine and war as a result of massive overpopulation of our planet. Already, an enormous percentage of humanity is already living without food and clean water. Get this through your thick skulls folks. No nation is superior to any other, we are all humans, and we are all born equal. If the only people who have access to food and water is the rich, because there simply isn't enough food in existence for everyone to eat to eat, than NOBODY, or humanity, will be bettered. You think going back to the gilded age and serfdom will be progress? Grow up. This is life and death
Johannes_H_Larsen
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3.8 / 5 (4)
Of course he has a right, we all live on this planet! By having such a large strain on the resources you're condemning people to poverty. In a lower populated world everyone would benefit from it.

Why do people have to be Indian to speak out about it? Or Nigerian? Or Chinese?
Titus_Lovecraft
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2.3 / 5 (3)
Are you telling me that with all the technology we have, the growing of FOOD will be difficult?? You guys need to wake up. multi storied hydroponic growth facilities India is primarily vegetarian anyway so this is no problem. Done. No doubt this will come to fruition.... We have the internet, robots, ai.. and you guys think that we will have a problem growing FOOD!!! WTF?
diego
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3.4 / 5 (5)
Titus Lovecraft, your lack of knowledge of what is already happening in the world depresses me. WE ALREADY ARE INCAPABLE OF GROWING ENOUGH FOOD. WOW.
Archetype
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (4)
And what have you learned from an oppressed history born of domination and supremacy? You've become supremacists seeking domination.


Ummm im Sinhalese not even Indian... and Im Buddhist the idea of supremacy to me is disgusting. Titus is right growing food is not as hard as some tin foil conspiracy nut cases (I.e. Diego) make it out to be... trust me. A lower global population means a slower rate of progress for humanity... Im not down with that, sorry. Honestly we are almost ready to colonize space, stop freaking out over overpopulation.

Diego here http://hungerrepo...a/hunger idiot.. mind you the population is increasing too. ps. IDIOT
FrankHerbert
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 1.8 / 5 (10)
Holy goddamn shit. How does this:

and Im Buddhist the idea of supremacy to me is disgusting.


Follow this:

Joke all you want... But at least im not the idiot that wants to limit reproduction of a race who seems to be more intelligent than Whites caeteris paribus of course.
diego
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (6)
Archetype, what is your IQ?
ShotmanMaslo
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (4)
http://www.scient...g-crisis
Our current agricultural (and population) boom may not be long-term sustainable at all..
paulthebassguy
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2 / 5 (12)
With increased food production more people will have the chance to get educated and with that people will plan their own familes just like we do in the west.

This is much better than the government imposing authoritarian population controls. All it takes is time and patience.
ShotmanMaslo
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2.3 / 5 (3)
But at least im not the idiot that wants to limit reproduction of a race who seems to be more intelligent than Whites caeteris paribus of course.


This is not a race issue, you racist. It is a human rights and ethics issue. Poor people reproducing, of any race or culture, is highly unethical, particularly in this case when no welfare is even available.

their dormant minds will be unleashed to the world and the domination that ensues when they live in developed countries will take place at home. Perhaps you know this and fear it?


I would love for it to happen.

With a higher population comes increased chances of super geniuses being born....


Thats BS. Supergeniuses are made, not born. You need good education and sufficient wealth to have any scientific progress. Even if it wasnt BS, it is still unethical.
FrankHerbert
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2 / 5 (12)
Population controls (necessary or not) are probably less effective than educating women. Educating women is the number one thing a society can do to slow its population growth.
Johannes_H_Larsen
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2.6 / 5 (5)
Are you telling me that with all the technology we have, the growing of FOOD will be difficult??


Apparently so, this is what the article says.. Anyway, space for food is perhaps the most irrelevant criterion ever, what about energy, nutrients and damage to environment? That's only for sustaining such a large population, try to calculate how much land each person would claim to lead a modern lifestyle? You'd probably find that with currently level of technology it's beyond the earth's capacity.

You didn't cite a reference to your claim that Indians in US making more than Caucasians, but if we assume that's true, it's cause the US immigration policies selects for education/abilities. It's called brain drain I believe.
diego
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3.4 / 5 (5)
Time and patience. How much time? Right now, the population is growing at a much faster rate than our improving agricultural methods can keep up. Hence the more than 900 million people worldwide who do not have enough food to eat. Read my above proposal, and quit preaching that people who want to be responsible about our crisis would be "authoritarian"
Titus_Lovecraft
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2.6 / 5 (5)

Thats BS. Supergeniuses are made, not born. You need good education and sufficient wealth to have any scientific progress. Even if it wasnt BS, it is still unethical.


ShotmanMaslo surely you do not believe geniuses are made... Sure raising a child well improves his intellect but his potential is only limited by how efficiently his brain processes. Just as some children are born retarded..some are born gifted. This is truth and truth is ethically sound, always.
FrankHerbert
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 1.7 / 5 (12)
Lol which of our resident cranks is Titus?

You didn't cite a reference to your claim that Indians in US making more than Caucasians, but if we assume that's true, it's cause the US immigration policies selects for education/abilities. It's called brain drain I believe.


No they are a super race because they invented numbers or something.
ShotmanMaslo
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2.6 / 5 (5)
ShotmanMaslo surely you do not believe geniuses are made... Sure raising a child well improves his intellect but his potential is only limited by how efficiently his brain processes. Just as some children are born retarded..some are born gifted. This is truth and truth is ethically sound, always.


1. Being gifted is worthless without the means to cultivate this gift.
2. Nurture is by far more important than nature.
3. The poor reproducing is unethical, irregardless of the number or proportions of geniuses.
Johannes_H_Larsen
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2 / 5 (4)

ShotmanMaslo surely you do not believe geniuses are made... Sure raising a child well improves his intellect but his potential is only limited by how efficiently his brain processes. Just as some children are born retarded..some are born gifted. This is truth and truth is ethically sound, always.

The relationship isn't that simple. Think of it as "hardware" and "software"
Archetype
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2.6 / 5 (5)
Holy goddamn shit. How does this:

and Im Buddhist the idea of supremacy to me is disgusting.


Follow this:

Joke all you want... But at least im not the idiot that wants to limit reproduction of a race who seems to be more intelligent than Whites caeteris paribus of course.


These are cold hard statistical facts.... Indians do better in school and have a higher income than whites per capita in America. Look it up. I don't think it makes them supreme or better in ANY way (the only way to do that is through kindness and love in which intelligence has nothing to do with), I do however feel that it defends their right to reproduce. Sorry to offend you.

WE ALREADY ARE INCAPABLE OF GROWING ENOUGH FOOD. WOW


Diego so if global hunger is decreasing... and you say we are already incapable of growing enough food im obviously missing something.... your logic eludes me... please, enlighten me. Cause your coming off as a bit of an idiot.
diego
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 5 / 5 (1)


Follow this:

Joke all you want... But at least im not the idiot that

These are cold hard statistical facts.... Indians do better in school and have a higher income than whites per capita in America. Look it up. I don't think it makes them supreme or better in ANY way (the only way to do that is through kindness and love in which intelligence has nothing to do with), I do however feel that it defends their right to reproduce. Sorry to offend you.

WE ALREADY ARE INCAPABLE OF GROWING ENOUGH FOOD. WOW


Diego so if global hunger is decreasing... and you say we are already incapable of growing enough food im obviously missing something.... your logic eludes me... please, enlighten me. Cause your coming off as a bit of an idiot.

Wonderbliss
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (4)

You didn't cite a reference to your claim that Indians in US making more than Caucasians, but if we assume that's true, it's cause the US immigration policies selects for education/abilities. It's called brain drain I believe.


Right because my fathers ability to drive a three wheel auto rickshaw was such a brain drain from india lol. And when he says that we do better in school its usually at least 2nd generation Indians who hes mentioning. Actually its not just America anyway this educational excellence is present in Canada and the UK too. I like how your trying to bring us down lol at least you have some pride in being white, but Indians are considered Caucasian too so you cant use that..look it up we are Aryans after all... you just proved your ignorance.
diego
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2.6 / 5 (5)
Archetype, your either mistakingly think a quote from another individual is my own, or you are just being an asshole trying to piss me off, because I don't believe anyone dumb enough to belief global hunger is currently decreasing would ever waltz their way onto this site. Please explain yourself.
Titus_Lovecraft
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (4)
Diego i believe he linked it
http://hungerrepo...a/hunger
and it is important to take the fact that population is increasing into account

and Shotgunmaslo
"1. Being gifted is worthless without the means to cultivate this gift.
2. Nurture is by far more important than nature.
3. The poor reproducing is unethical, irregardless of the number or proportions of geniuses."


You a single human claiming that the poor reproducing is unethical....is actually what is unethical. Who are you to make such claims? You obviously know not a thing about ethics. once a person's Life and experiences is involved ethics gets very complicated so complicated that your western ethical approach fast looks as though it has autism and ocd.

Also for nature vs nurture that is a tired old argument that i will not even address... because all else being equal nature is what is most important. Nurture is infinite and nature is rare. Its so simple i guess you cant understand that though.
Archetype
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (2)
Archetype, your either mistakingly think a quote from another individual is my own, or you are just being an asshole trying to piss me off, because I don't believe anyone dumb enough to belief global hunger is currently decreasing would ever waltz their way onto this site. Please explain yourself.


http://hungerrepo...a/hunger ....Diego does your tinfoil hat fit snug on your head?
diego
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (4)
I never ONCE stated that poor people reproducing is unethical. Having children is a natural life process,and passing genes onto the next generation is critical for life to continue. Rich people ARE NOT superior to poor people, as you seem to be convincing yourself I said. However, people having excessive children, such as 3 or more, is truly irresponsible and selfish.
ziphead
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (4)
If the population growth is not curbed, countries that are the largest contributors to it stand to lose the most.
It is as simple as that. PM of India has no guts to confront his nation with this harsh truth.
But then again, leaders of other nations are not significantly better in that regard either.
Wonderbliss
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (4)
I never ONCE stated that poor people reproducing is unethical. Having children is a natural life process,and passing genes onto the next generation is critical for life to continue. Rich people ARE NOT superior to poor people, as you seem to be convincing yourself I said. However, people having excessive children, such as 3 or more, is truly irresponsible and selfish.


I think that was directed at shotgunmaslo as it says and shotgunmaslo before stating..... youve been messing up quite a bit today Diego with your misinformation. Please read carefully before stating things.
diego
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2.6 / 5 (5)
Perhaps you should go back from the beginning and read all my articles. And than call me an idiot again.
Johannes_H_Larsen
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2.3 / 5 (6)

Right because my fathers ability to drive a three wheel auto rickshaw was such a brain drain from india lol.


Now that you mention it, that would explain a fuckload.
Archetype
Jul 17, 2011

Rank: 2.6 / 5 (5)
Now that you mention it, that would explain a fuckload.


Really now so the us immigration selects rickshaw drivers as their chosen elite? nice....lol...no need to be crass... your not really helping your argument. Did you look up Caucasian yet lmao!!
Telekinetic
Jul 18, 2011

Rank: 3.4 / 5 (5)
"Even now, after all these years, it is difficult to express my horror and disbelief over what I witnessed. The streets were rife with emaciated, ragged people. We were forced to step over dead bodies. We shared the road with diseased cows, dogs, goats, chickens and, saddest of all, starving people. Human and animal excrement filled the streets.

Just breathing in Calcutta can be dangerous to your health. Thus, Mother suggested we keep our mouths covered whenever we walked through the streets. There was a putrid stench that literally assaulted the senses. Fumes rose from the river because of funeral pyres with half-burned corpses. Decaying garbage was piled in heaps, where hungry waifs battled over shreds of rotting food." -Excerpted from a charity worker's experience with Mother Theresa.
The people of India are enured to these horrors, it's commonplace and has been so for centuries. Americans have no experience with this level of destitution, and right there's the disconnection.
Archetype
Jul 18, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (2)
Gave you 5 stars for your post tele. The purpose of it however eludes me.
Titus_Lovecraft
Jul 18, 2011

Rank: 3.7 / 5 (3)
India has a history and culture that started in 2500BC. America has a history and culture that started less than 300 years ago...surely that alone will create disconnection. No need to bring up how the people of 1950's post rape India lived.
Archetype
Jul 18, 2011

Rank: 3.7 / 5 (3)
India has a history and culture that started in 2500BC. America has a history and culture that started less than 300 years ago...surely that alone will create disconnection. No need to bring up how the people of 1950's post rape India lived.


But Titus talking about how people shat in the streets and fought over rotton food 61 years ago after their country was raped by colonial powers and lying about how its been like that for CENTURIES is so much more antagonizing than talking about how the citizens of one country can say "in 2500bc my ancestors created One of worlds greatest ancient civilizations the Indus River Valley where written language, art, science, and math were developed for all of humanity to use"..and the Citizens of the other country can say "in 2500bc my ancestors put a bunch of large rocks in a circle and we now call it Stonehenge (smiley face) we are so proud".
ShotmanMaslo
Jul 18, 2011

Rank: 1 / 5 (2)
Indians do better in school and have a higher income than whites per capita in America. ...

I do however feel that it defends their right to reproduce. Sorry to offend you.


How come? Even a genetic superhuman from galactic hegemony that gave countless younger races elementary science has no right to reproduce, if he is so poor that the basic needs of his child may not be met.
This is not a race or culture issue, but purely ethics issue. It would be a serious case of gross negligence at best, child abuse at worst.

And I have yet to hear one sensible argument against this simple idea in this thread.
jamesrm
Jul 18, 2011

Rank: 3 / 5 (4)
"With a higher population comes increased chances of super geniuses being born.... these super geniuses "

Wishful thinking and waiting for the new baby Jesus to save us all is not the sign of intelligence, just another twist on the technofix.

And If this/these super-geniuises were to say, stop breading, the planet is finite, would you believe them or continue to wait untill a uber-super-genius that agrees with you, feeding your ego at the expense of...
Titus_Lovecraft
Jul 18, 2011

Rank: 3.7 / 5 (3)
Wishful thinking? It is happening as we speak. And has happened throughout all of time. How else has humanity come to this state if not by the work of Geniuses...? I mean WTF? Are you so pessimistic that you choose to deny reality.
jamesrm
Jul 18, 2011

Rank: 3.7 / 5 (3)
If you are one of these "geniuses" god help us and I don't even believe in it/them him.

The lie promulgated of the "lone man" who can change the world serves many corporate/religious organisations agendas, keep the fools hopeful and sedate believing they just have to wait and someone will solve all of the problems, united we stand divided etc.

And you know Lovecraft was most sympathetic to the idea of a Benevolent dictatorship.
diego
Jul 18, 2011

Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
According to the U.N., if fertility were to stay constant at 1995-2000 levels, the world population would soar to 244 billion by 2150 and 134 trillion by 2300.

Half a billion people live in water-stressed or water-scarce countries, and by 2025 that number will grow to three billion. In the last 50 years, cropland has been reduced by 13% and pasture by 4%. June 2005 U.N.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that hunger is a daily concern for 13.8% of Americans

Every 20 minutes, the human population grows by about 3,000. At the same time another plant or animal becomes extinct (27,000 each year).
Archetype
Jul 18, 2011

Rank: not rated yet
If you are one of these "geniuses" god help us and I don't even believe in it/them him.

The lie promulgated of the "lone man" who can change the world serves many corporate/religious organisations agendas, keep the fools hopeful and sedate believing they just have to wait and someone will solve all of the problems, united we stand divided etc.

And you know Lovecraft was most sympathetic to the idea of a Benevolent dictatorship.


Albert Einstein is just one example of such a man. Many more have existed if I were to list them here my post would be too large anyway. All of you who deny this are idiots who just want to oppose the truth that I speak.
diego
Jul 18, 2011

Rank: 5 / 5 (2)
http://ngm.nation...zig-text
Sepp
Jul 20, 2011

Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
Actually, the article is about increasing agricultural output, but much of the discussion is centering on how the Indians should really have less babies.

Going back to the agricultural "green revolution" that is being advocated, it is by no means a given that what is known as the green revolution, a chemical industry initiated intensive cultivation with fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, and more recently with GM crops, was really a success.

If India needs another green revolution, it does not need more of the same. Output can be increased, and food can be made more wholesome, as well as work can be provided for many families by re-introducing traditional agriculture, with a modern organic and/or biodynamic slant.

That would also take care of the overpopulation problem, as the need to have many children is linked to poverty. Once you overcome poverty, birth rates come down naturally. Look at the Western world.

So in summary, India needs a revolution, but not THAT one.
ShotmanMaslo
Jul 20, 2011

Rank: 3.3 / 5 (3)
Globaly, there is enough food for everyone, and much left. There are more overweight than hungry people on this planet. Our problems are in distribution. They wont be solved by simply making more food.
Dug
Jul 23, 2011

Rank: 5 / 5 (2)
Unless you are an ideologue in denial - you are probably aware the world is running out of petroleum resources - whether the end date is 25, 50 or 100 years or more - petroleum if finite. Nitrogen fertilizer responsible for the first green revolution is made from natural gas. Perhaps you didn't know the first green revolution was also dependent on cheap mined phosphates. Did you know that 95% of world food production is absolutely dependent on peak petroleum and peak phosphate fertilizers? It's very conservatively estimated phosphate production will peak in 30 years and be gone in 50-100 years. All biological activity is dependent on adequate phosphate availability. Again, whether the estimated time lines are correct or not, the fact that without cheap nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers we can't even continue the first green revolution. Only the willfully ignorant and scientific illiterates are expecting a second green revolution - unless it's Soylent Green revolution.
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