The Misunderstood Malthusian?
Superficially, Thomas Malthus postulated that at a certain point, humans would outstrip the planets resources. With emphasis on temporal proximity, to date said theory has been proved wrong by technological advances.
Yet, for the unforeseeable future said determination is ever TBD. Because of that never ending possibility and as there is much more to the theory, Malthus is often misquoted and misunderstood. We shall now endeavor to scratch and Natter at what we think is Malthus common sense and given the nature of man, eternal wisdom.
Although technological advances usually allow for more with less, with a growing population, mankind always hits a temporal wall or temporary limit which spawns management crisis, resource allocation and self interest decisions.
Therefore, with a constantly growing population, increases in productivity can never fully address basic problems in distribution, and thus, necessity is the mother of invention.
While at cyclic technological impasse or limit, and until the next technological advance, which inevitably allows for further expansion of the population until the next impasse, there are two ways the distribution problem is temporarily overcome.
Both methods involve less people, controlled growth through birth control or culling the herd through the four horsemen. The latter involves unnecessary suffering, famine, disease, war, pestilence, and death. Usually a combination of the two, along with forms of management crisis and resource allocation suffices until the next quantum leap.
Malthus realized that the basic imbalance between nature (the four horsemen) and nurture (controlled growth) is expressed in our individual lives. Said expression is through self interest in cost benefit decisions involving sexual behavior, procreation, children, education, work, and standard of living.
Resource allocation can take the form of rationing and self interest decisions, which can influence the quality of life during periods of limitation. Due to the dynamic nature of this technological and resource based cycle, self interest and differential access to resources prevent "a perfect world" or system of equality or equity from becoming established or maintained.
Therefore, through the dynamic nature of the cycle, the utopia anticipated through industrial progress, and the spread of democracy, is neither attainable nor sustainable. One could realistically say that post industrial dreams are based on Utopian fantasies.
Bottom line, we can always do better, but progress does not naturally lead to a better world. Taking ownership and self control are prerequisite in the required balancing act which occurs during cyclic technological interstitial's.
As we stated at the top, Malthus is oft misquoted, misunderstood, and as a result many "free market", socialistic and communist advocates dislike his theories. We think Malthus was not a control freak, nor a pessimist, but a realist, and that this could easily be his theme song...
This missive was inspired by and borrows from Frank W. Elwell's keynote address to the Annual Meeting of the Anthropologists and Sociologists of Kentucky, November 2, 2001, entitled Reclaiming Malthus.
Yet, for the unforeseeable future said determination is ever TBD. Because of that never ending possibility and as there is much more to the theory, Malthus is often misquoted and misunderstood. We shall now endeavor to scratch and Natter at what we think is Malthus common sense and given the nature of man, eternal wisdom.
Although technological advances usually allow for more with less, with a growing population, mankind always hits a temporal wall or temporary limit which spawns management crisis, resource allocation and self interest decisions.
Therefore, with a constantly growing population, increases in productivity can never fully address basic problems in distribution, and thus, necessity is the mother of invention.
While at cyclic technological impasse or limit, and until the next technological advance, which inevitably allows for further expansion of the population until the next impasse, there are two ways the distribution problem is temporarily overcome.
Both methods involve less people, controlled growth through birth control or culling the herd through the four horsemen. The latter involves unnecessary suffering, famine, disease, war, pestilence, and death. Usually a combination of the two, along with forms of management crisis and resource allocation suffices until the next quantum leap.
Malthus realized that the basic imbalance between nature (the four horsemen) and nurture (controlled growth) is expressed in our individual lives. Said expression is through self interest in cost benefit decisions involving sexual behavior, procreation, children, education, work, and standard of living.
Resource allocation can take the form of rationing and self interest decisions, which can influence the quality of life during periods of limitation. Due to the dynamic nature of this technological and resource based cycle, self interest and differential access to resources prevent "a perfect world" or system of equality or equity from becoming established or maintained.
Therefore, through the dynamic nature of the cycle, the utopia anticipated through industrial progress, and the spread of democracy, is neither attainable nor sustainable. One could realistically say that post industrial dreams are based on Utopian fantasies.
Bottom line, we can always do better, but progress does not naturally lead to a better world. Taking ownership and self control are prerequisite in the required balancing act which occurs during cyclic technological interstitial's.
As we stated at the top, Malthus is oft misquoted, misunderstood, and as a result many "free market", socialistic and communist advocates dislike his theories. We think Malthus was not a control freak, nor a pessimist, but a realist, and that this could easily be his theme song...
This missive was inspired by and borrows from Frank W. Elwell's keynote address to the Annual Meeting of the Anthropologists and Sociologists of Kentucky, November 2, 2001, entitled Reclaiming Malthus.
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