To think the human race should respectfully die out?

[RomeoLikedCapuletGirls]

I’m not being goady as I’ve genuinely thought about this over the past few years as the following issues have come to the fore:

Climate change
Industrial meat industry
Pandemics

I’ve tried being vegan but always revert to eating meat for health. I’ve come to the conclusion that it was a much needed part of our evolution. The problem is of course the intensive whole scale nature of it, and the suffering it causes. Even the plant industry causes a lot of damage to the environment and ecosystems. The sheer numbers of humans needing feeding is the problem.

Again, with climate change. It’s a question of over-population. The more of us there are the more we deplete our earth’s resources we deplete. Limiting consumption is simply not working so we need something else.

And although we might crack Coronavirus, there’ll be another virus along soon to challenge us. And it’ll spread quickly because there are so many of us.

I’m not advocating mass suicide of course!

Just that we encourage our offspring to not have children until we have either died out or at the very least reduced our numbers to such a point that we are just one species amongst many, living on this planet and not causing the disproportionate amount of harm to the environment and other animals.

There’s nothing to argue that the human race should continue forever.

Ok !

A plant-based diet is way more healthy than a meat-based one.

I really wish that this was true. But in terms of human evolution and optimisation it simply isn’t. Any article/book about brain health, treating issues such as dementia and MS will tell you that the healthiest diet is a mixture of fish and plants.

There's absolutely no reason for the human race to continue its existence, other than our own selfishness, and it baffles me that people think the continuation of the human species is an inherently good thing.

Exactly. And as another poster said, our dying off will allow the earth to reset itself.

Why are humans so special? Why do our needs trump those of the other living things on this planet?

I'm horrified by the oceans full of plastic and the mistreatment of other humans and the cruelty to animals as much as the next person.

But I don't grasp the idea of the planet being better off without us, why are we of less value than the other animals on earth? What would the planet be doing anyway? Hurtling round the sun, same as it is now. Animals would still eat each other, sometimes disease would wipe them out. Drought or flooding would mean that sometimes plant eating animals would run out of food. Just as happens now.

I love that these negative types see having children as the problem, when most people have historically thought they are the future and our hope.

I mean, Consider this- if the earth-loving people don’t reproduce and pass their beliefs on to their offspring, there are fewer people who have that belief and it will die out quicker, while the people who have 3+ kids gradually replace them with their opposing beliefs.

We definitely need to be more responsible and respectful of the environment. How can you contribute to that positively?

Respectfully die out 😂😂

We are the masters of our own destiny. We cause most of our own problems then put solutions in place to hopefully correct them ie climate change and vaccine programmes.

Re this pandemic and future pandemics we have and will lose many human lives but our adaptability will allow us to continue for a good while yet. We have been around for over 250,000 years which is a reflection of our survival and adaptability skills.

I agree that there are far too many humans on planet earth. I don't think we need to die out put as a species we should absolutely be looking at ways to halt population growth asap!

Op will you convince your dc (if you have them) to not have children?

How does that work? Stopping a primary human urge that you have enjoyed but they can’t?

Better to reduce population and more possible than telling everyone to stop wanting to replicate genes. Actually how will you do it- force or asking nicely?

Malthusian extremism at its "best". What a load of cobblers. The planet will be ok if we must let the human race die out. News flash - nobody will give a bloody damn whether the planet is ok if the human race dies out, but the human race, warts and all, is what gives any debate meaning! There won't be herds of elephants sitting on the plains debating world economics or the meaning of life. The reason there's is even a debate is because people do care, passionately, about lots of things.

I presume that you are volunteering to start this downward trend of not existing? Or is it going to be everybody else who must die for you? And what will you do if not enough people volunteer to cease to exist?

I'm with you OP. If the global population halved, then halved again,!it would be a good thing for every other living creature on the planet. Humans are elbowing all the other living creatures off the table, with our violence, selfishness and greed.

I would have no problem if me and my family were included in this "halving" process if it meant the planet healed itself.

If you agree with op will you do the good deed and tell your dc the good news?

The good news is the earth will be fine. It will continue and regenerate. The bad news is - we might not survive due to our own actions.

There's a theory that these pandemics are going to get more frequent and worse. For instance - whats killing all the elephants in Botswana at the moment and could it transfer to humans?

I'm not sure we are going to get the chance to make a conscious choice. But the earth will survive us.

Any article/book about brain health, treating issues such as dementia and MS will tell you that the healthiest diet is a mixture of fish and plants.

That is VERY outdated advice.

Or is it going to be everybody else who must die for you?

I’m not asking anyone to die! Just to not reproduce.

Just by existing in the way that we do, we are already causing massive harm to other living things. So unless we radically change our way of living, which let’s face it isn’t feasible given our sheer numbers and the separateness of nations, the best way is to reduce ourselves to the point where we are in balance with the other species on the planet.

Just to not reproduce.

Easy then. Do you have dc? Will you tell them

That is VERY outdated advice.

Wine, could you give me some links because the books I’ve read on the subject are quite recent. I’d honestly be very happy if you were right.

Just as a matter of interest OP, do you have children? Or siblings who have or may have in the future and have you shared your views with them ?
(please tell me you have 6 children) 😏

Just that we encourage [each other] to not have children until we have ... at the very least reduced our numbers to such a point that we are ... not causing [a] disproportionate amount of harm to the environment ...

Agreed. Already doing this.

Agree OP. That's why I can't understand why so many people still want children and when they do still aim for 2, 3+.

@RomeoLikedCapuletGirls Find out from the books you have which vitamins or minerals they are recommending and then find them in plants.

OP, you might find this article interesting: www.forksoverknives.com/success-stories/plant-based-diet-to-treat-ms-no-relapses/

Easy then. Do you have dc? Will you tell them

Actually it was my DS who announced that he was not having children. I was quite resistant at first due to a desire to have grandchildren but then I started to think about it.

But yes I realise it’s not an easy policy. Rather, an essential one.

I don’t think we need to respectfully die out, but we do need to drastically change the way we live. We need to go back to a much simpler way of living with no plastic, no petrol/diesel vehicles, no flying to the other side of the world on holiday etc etc. The problem is that the whole planet need to do it together and only a very small percentage would be willing. As a race we are currently more selfish than ever before.

His decision so that’s fine.

You can’t convince everyone else to do the same as him.

Reduction yes - but still would you introduce a limit on dc as China did?

Wipe out - how would you enforce this?