Demographic Winter: Decline of the Human Family

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Do you remember when we were running out of gas in the 1970’s? I really think the only right thing to do is use it up and be done with oil (only partially cynical).
That’s what we are doing now. At this rate – with SUVs, long commutes, and plentiful air travel – we’ll have completed the project of using up the affordable oil by 2050 or so. If we implement energy saving measures, we might be able to stretch that out to 2075 or so.

StAnastasia
 
By the same logic, there will always be room in a lifeboat for one more swimmer. There will always be room in an elevator for one more person. There will always be room in a Volkswagen for just one more college student. There is always room in the stomach for just one hotdog! There are no limits anywhere.
True. God, being omnipotent, has no limits.
 
First: isn’t it interesting how helping a ‘neighbor’ became a priority, even when a nice, good thing was planned? It is good to have gotten there to taste some of that ‘good ole music’… I remember those songs too, but do not hear them very often. You had both ‘cake’ and ‘frosting’… what a blessing.

Have you never heard of ‘desert towns’ that were mere buildings when the trains went a different route? They were deserted by the people as they went elsewhere.

Perhaps with the Church… with the family… with the neighbors… with the community.
Michael David, fighting the fire was an absolute priority in that instance, I was first on the scene with water, my neighbor being second. Between the two of us we had the flames largely knocked down, but when the fire department arrived they ordered us back when they saw more flammable cannisters on the floor. (The fire was caused by some bright fellow arc welding in the garage, right next to propane cannisters.)

Speaking of deserted towns, we would be able sustain life in the suburbs longer if we built inter- and intra-city rail lines for people to commute with in stead of their private cars.

And I agree that the church will always be there, long after petroleum disappears. The constancy of the Church is something we can count on. I sang yesterday for the funeral of one of the school parents, a bright and hopeful service compared to a non-theistic memorial service I attended last year. So it goes.

StAnastasia
 
Speaking of deserted towns, we would be able sustain life in the suburbs longer if we built inter- and intra-city rail lines for people to commute with in stead of their private cars.

And I agree that the church will always be there, long after petroleum disappears. The constancy of the Church is something we can count on. I sang yesterday for the funeral of one of the school parents, a bright and hopeful service compared to a non-theistic memorial service I attended last year. So it goes.
StAnastasia
Most of the bigger towns (up here) have city buses for bringing people in, or to major areas in town. Also, the cities has a rail line with plans for expansion to various sub-communities. The ole Greyhound still goes between cities and states, as the ole train does on certain routes, as does flying. Perhaps if more would use these, where available, we could push that running out of petro out till 2100? Of course, living closer to where you do things is better yet.

Remember the first 3 letters in funeral? We are to rejoice that the person is now in God’s domain… but our feeling of loss gets in the way of the glory we too are seeking. Yes, funerals are oxymoron’s with many emotions messing with us. It is a so-called ‘reality check’ for us still here. One of these times… I won’t be. And, where will I be then!!!
 
Remember the first 3 letters in funeral? We are to rejoice that the person is now in God’s domain… but our feeling of loss gets in the way of the glory we too are seeking. Yes, funerals are oxymoron’s with many emotions messing with us. It is a so-called ‘reality check’ for us still here. One of these times… I won’t be. And, where will I be then!!!
I have yet to participate in an irretrievably sad Catholic funeral. that does not compute.

S.
 
I have yet to participate in an irretrievably sad Catholic funeral. that does not compute.

S.
It did compute for me… once.

The funeral went well, close to a full Church. The eulogy spoke of the life well lived and lived fully. The music/song “5th Season” was a hit… with full silence following. When following the gasket out, the wife and I could hardly walk, much less hold each other up. At the cemetery, knowing it was done, peace took over. The luncheon was very jovial and uplifting as all the memories came to the surface. Friends and acquaintances from all over and all walks of life were of one mind… he will not be forgotten. That will be 10 years ago in a few months… he was our son… and was half my age when he left this world.

God and I had some words about this… and it took Christ to mediate the conversations… but 3 years later, the Holy Spirit finally returned, making it easier to bear… not forgotten by a long shot, but bearable.

So, it depends…
 
God and I had some words about this… and it took Christ to mediate the conversations… but 3 years later, the Holy Spirit finally returned, making it easier to bear… not forgotten by a long shot, but bearable.So, it depends…
Michael David, thank you for your beautiful and eloquent post. I know that only someone who has gone through what you have can even begin to comprehend it. My prayers for you both, and for your son.

StAnastsia
 
Reread posts 201-207 or thereabouts. 🙂
Please explain what you mean – don’t just refer people to a series of previous posts and expect divine illumination to take over! As I tell my Master’s students at the beginning of every graduate seminar, mature discussion involves not forcing discussion partners to play guessing games but clarifying your post when it seems not to be understood, even if you believe your meaning should be apparent to everyone else.😃

StAnastasia
 
This quote from pope Benedict:
“the World Bank wrote a report indicating that **economic growth could be used to seduce a society **into accepting demographic suppression. If the Bank wants to work in countries that do not accept population control as the rationale, it must base its population program on a broader and more flexible set of principles. This could **start from a recognition that the overall objective is promotion of sustainable development in living standards **…”
You asked who is talking about killing people. I asked what you thought the phrase, “demographic suppression” meant. You have been hesitant to give an opinion ever since. 🤷
 
You asked who is talking about killing people. I asked what you thought the phrase, “demographic suppression” meant. You have been hesitant to give an opinion ever since. 🤷
No, I haven’t been hesitant. I’ve just been trying to discover why the term “demographic suppression” was suddenly inserted into the conversation about the approaching end of affordable petroleum.

StAnastasia
 
StAnastasia,

Thanks for your prayers, they do help! It only takes something like this to know ‘really’ how important family is (right now), the immediate family and the extended family.

Here is something interesting from Wikipedia:
“OPEC’s ability to control the price of oil has diminished somewhat, due to the subsequent discovery and development of large oil reserves in the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea, the opening up of Russia, and market modernization. OPEC nations still account for two-thirds of the world’s oil reserves, and, as of March 2008, 35.6% of the world’s oil production, affording them considerable control over the global market. The next largest group of producers, members of the OECD and the Post-Soviet states produced only 23.8% and 14.8%, respectively, of the world’s total oil production”

New oil discovered on our side of the globe… and in Russia. Also, if OPEC has 66.6% of the known oil reserves, but only pumps 35.6% of it, there is a reserve yet. And, if the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea reserves can be estimated and drilled, perhaps the numbers/percentages will change dramatically… in our favor.

But yes, I do agree that ‘sooner or later’ we will be out of oil. However, with new technologies, in development presently and those we have not thought of yet, there may still be oil in the ground untapped due to no one wanting it for any purpose. And natural gas reserves go out much further then oil reserves do, and power plants are converting to gas… and nuclear for future use.

Otherwise we will have to pedal a generator to use these computers in the far future. Although, the computers of 2100 and beyond, may be like a watch on the wrist with a battery that lasts some 5-10 years… no need for electric.

A lot can change between now and then. Hopefully the family side of all this becomes more like God intended family to be… and bring morals, conscience and cooperation back home. Then it can spread out to the bigger human family again…
 
No, I haven’t been hesitant. I’ve just been trying to discover why the term “demographic suppression” was suddenly inserted into the conversation about the approaching end of affordable petroleum.

StAnastasia
Sigh. Well, I feel like you just don’t want to consider what it is you are really supporting.

Blessings.
 
Sigh. Well, I feel like you just don’t want to consider what it is you are really supporting. Blessings.
I’m not sure what in your imagination you suspect I’m supporting, but your fantasy of “demographic suppression” is not part of it

StAnastasia.
 
But yes, I do agree that ‘sooner or later’ we will be out of oil. However, with new technologies, in development presently and those we have not thought of yet, there may still be oil in the ground untapped due to no one wanting it for any purpose. And natural gas reserves go out much further then oil reserves do, and power plants are converting to gas… and nuclear for future use.
Michael David, it is a mathematical certainty that Earth cannot support an infinite population of squirrels, elephants, humans, salmon, fungi, condors, oak trees, or any other species. At some point all species reach ZPG --zero population growth – although most bounce around in some zone of equilibrium, rising and falling as food supply varies from year to year. Humans too will reach equilibrium, I hope with as little suffering as possible.

Look at oil demand this way (calculated by Doug50):

It’s estimated the current world uses 1000 barrels of oil per second, or 1000 bbl x 86,400 seconds in one day = 86,400,000 bbl of oil used by the world in one day.

86,400,000bbl / 15428bbl = 5,600 Olympic sized pools of oil used each day.

5,600 pools x 365 days in a year = 2,044,000 Olympic sized pools of oil is use by the world in one year.

At present we have no plan for how to replace this volume of oil to support 6.7 billion people. We are now at peak production, and it would seem we must either find some source to replace the energy that will no longer be available when this oil disappears, or reduce our usage accordingly over the coming decades. Can we do it?

StAnastasia
 
I’m not sure what in your imagination you suspect I’m supporting, but your fantasy of “demographic suppression” is not part of it

StAnastasia.
Sure it is - you support the reduction of family size, for one. How do you suppose that happens, especially using organizations like the UN?
 
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