We have crossed another landmark, but with trepidation. We number over 7 billion and may even top 10 billion before it starts to decline. Is it just another number that we leave behind and soon forgotten, or does it make us ponder deeply about our future followed by some meaningful all-round action to enhance balance and quality to our lives? Some call the increasing numbers a time bomb, waiting to cause untold misery and upheaval, while others look at it as a population dividend to reap, when more number of younger people work to support the old and retired. There are two sides to every coin, and the glass is either half-full, or half-empty!
Every birth is a joy to behold while death is one of mourning. That is be the way it should be, though a well-lived life should also be celebrated even while parting. If one has achieved much in life, what is the need to prolong it, creating even misery to the loved ones due to the suffering endured till the last dragging breath?
We are kept on our toes by developments in science and technology and also by daily challenges even to stay alive! Most are created by us only, unable to coexist on a live and let live basis. That is unlikely to change despite knowing we are living with more potent weapons of mass destructions by the day. The very thought of them getting into the wrong hands should make us pause and think about the future of humanity in its entirety.
Then of course the sustainability of living; to support the increasing demands made on our finite resources. Some resources might well be finite, but we should be able to judiciously stretch them over a longer period with our ingenuity; then the many renewable sources that we are yet to tap. Science and technology should enable them to stay ahead of the curve of increasing demand. Are we up to the challenge?
The population numbers are on an upward curve when taken in totality and will stay so for decades. And also, the demands made on resources which will make peace rather tough to sustain when the mad scramble for scarce resources are already evident. Unless, we are on a path of share and care, our increasing numbers will test our unity and even bring the whole house down and make living unbearable. Though a fair share of challenges is needed to keep us on our toes, there are limits to our ability to overcome them on a daily basis.
The challenge of having increasing number of humans, but also the more demands made by each on scarce resources, will test our ingenuity. We have proved Malthus wrong generally, and have been able to eradicate poverty to a great extent, but will we be able to overcome calamities which could upset our ecosystems? If other species increase beyond sustainability, we have no qualms in controlling their numbers even by culling, but let us hope that our each new arrival will find meaning and is welcomed as we were with open arms when we set our eyes upon this beautiful planet.
It is up to us to continue to find meaning in our lives and leave a better place for future generations to come. When we are aware of such responsibility and our moral duty, then we can continue to welcome more while we fulfill our obligations and our passing is celebrated after fruitful lives. Let us rise up to the challenges than lead empty lives without focus. We can find enrichment through living for a better future for humanity and for other fellow species that keep us company. Such lives should also be our reward for our Creator and let us live up to His hopes!
Can we welcome and invest in the new arrivals in terms of time, care and most important, love, or just rush them from Point A to B endlessly? Let us actively be participants in this beautiful journey so that it is pursued with more vigor after our passing. The more the merrier with the right attitude and approach to life! Many still remember fondly the great time we had when being part of big families. When there is caring and sharing all round, do numbers matter?
Note: My sincere thanks to fellow contributor, Jackie McPherson, for encouraging me to air my views on this topic.