Should we let nature take it's course?

ninerbuff
ninerbuff Posts: 49,465 Spam Moderator
edited November 2024 in Chit-Chat
We've done so well with medical and health technology, that an issue was addressed on "Quantico" last night.
Should nature take it's course? We've been able to reduce disease and extend human life by many years, but the issue brought up was that fatal diseases that used to control human population, are being fought well and isolated, and where thousands may have died, they are saved instead.
We introduce and protect animals in the wild not only for keep the species alive, but to help control population of their prey (rodents, bugs, etc.). Yet in the human population, the numbers keep growing and it's getting harder and harder to access natural resources to feed and house so many people.
It left me wondering what's in our future.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Replies

  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    we're gonna run out of resources or die trying...just like every other organism on earth.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,465 Spam Moderator
    Sure, but humans don't have any natural predators except themselves and disease. We're now combating disease pretty successfully (hence the longer lifespans), which would eventually lead to people dying from lack of food/water (which is happening now in many countries).

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • OneHundredToLose
    OneHundredToLose Posts: 8,523 Member
    We have no choice. We must expand to the stars or face extinction. In the history of life on Earth, no species has ever had the ability to move on to another planet in order to protect itself from extinction. We're now in the unique position to do that, and it's up to us to seize that opportunity or deal with the consequences when the next extinction event inevitably happens.
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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,465 Spam Moderator
    OneHundredToLose wrote: »
    We have no choice. We must expand to the stars or face extinction. In the history of life on Earth, no species has ever had the ability to move on to another planet in order to protect itself from extinction. We're now in the unique position to do that, and it's up to us to seize that opportunity or deal with the consequences when the next extinction event inevitably happens.
    I'm just speaking in terms of planet population. Obviously with less people, there would be more resources per person. With control of disease (to a point) it's now less resources per person. The actor who played the doctor (at CDC) had a good point: if disease can't help control human population, humans will end up killing each other purposely (healthy or not) to ensure individual survival.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

  • Fitwarrior7_Round_2
    Fitwarrior7_Round_2 Posts: 453 Member
    Love Quantico...just saying.
  • OneHundredToLose
    OneHundredToLose Posts: 8,523 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    OneHundredToLose wrote: »
    We have no choice. We must expand to the stars or face extinction. In the history of life on Earth, no species has ever had the ability to move on to another planet in order to protect itself from extinction. We're now in the unique position to do that, and it's up to us to seize that opportunity or deal with the consequences when the next extinction event inevitably happens.
    I'm just speaking in terms of planet population. Obviously with less people, there would be more resources per person. With control of disease (to a point) it's now less resources per person. The actor who played the doctor (at CDC) had a good point: if disease can't help control human population, humans will end up killing each other purposely (healthy or not) to ensure individual survival.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    I actually don't think the goal should be to limit the population permanently - I think the purpose of life (biologically speaking) is to reproduce as many members of the species as possible. I'd like to see humans colonize the galaxy and establish a permanent foothold in the Universe.
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  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    OneHundredToLose wrote: »
    We have no choice. We must expand to the stars or face extinction. In the history of life on Earth, no species has ever had the ability to move on to another planet in order to protect itself from extinction. We're now in the unique position to do that, and it's up to us to seize that opportunity or deal with the consequences when the next extinction event inevitably happens.

    This ^^

    I think there an argument for discontinuing treatment for people who are non-compliant and make no effort to make themselves healthier. It's a hard stance but why spend billions of taxpayer dollars on medications and surgeries just for people to exist in a sad broken life with no will to help themselves? If they don't want to live life, then why bother?
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    edited October 2015
    personally, considering "life", I find the concept of us being outside of nature (eg. "man made") a little egotistical...
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,465 Spam Moderator
    _John_ wrote: »
    personally, considering "life", I find the concept of us being outside of nature (eg. "man made") a little egotistical...
    Like any other animal, we defend territory, food/water, and offspring. Unlike other animals though, we have the ability to take away other resources away from other animals or use them as food and thereby possibly causing their extinction. Also we're very wasteful when it comes to resources due to the thinking that we'll never run out. It will end up being our demise unless we're hit by a meteor/asteroid/comet first.
    So I agree that with your last statement.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

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