Is the Rapid Population Growth Becoming a Threat from Within?
Today, the world population stands at about 7 billion people. This number is feared to hit the 10 billion mark by the year 2070. It is estimated that about 200,000 births are made every day around the world. Of course, it is a fact that the daily deaths are not that much now that we have made great strides to ensure access to healthcare is improved.
This growth is what people fear. Don’t forget that inequalities are at an all-time high. Interestingly though, it is the haves that feels threatened. They see a point where the masses of have not will rise against them for their survival.
What the rich are doing now is to ensure their future in case of such a revolution arises. The theory of extinction and survival for the fittest is anticipated. Since everybody will be trying to survive in that future, it is the prepared that will ultimately win. And as such, a lot of people are preparing for that future today as we are speaking.
In the United States of America, some people are seriously preparing for a near future where they anticipate the government will trample on their basic rights not out of choice but because the necessity of rapid population growth will demand so.
At such a time, it is expected to be everyone for him/her very self. This has pushed a lot of people to start procuring guns for themselves as a measure of self-defense. People have stored enough stocks of dry grains and other foods in readiness for a world out of control due to unsustainable population numbers.
Others are anticipating chemical or nuclear attacks. In the late last century, Russia was at war with Chechnya. Today, same Russia is at war with Ukraine. The war has had effects on global trade and such effects have been able to be felt here in Kenya.
What about nuclear or chemical war? North Korea has been of interest in terms of nuclear warhead development. A simple provocation today could make Europe or America or even Asia go head to head in war. With technological development today, people can go to greater lengths to trample upon their enemies. People are bracing themselves in readiness for any such eventuality.
What is their anticipation of such war breaking out? The point they are pointing at to a large extent has something to do with the fight for natural resources. For now, Africa is at war with herself because of natural minerals. The Democratic Republic of Congo is a good example. Local inhabitants are at war against each other due to minerals.
It is anticipated that as the population grows rapidly, it is no longer going to be a war among locals. Regional as well as global giants will want to exercise their authority and power and that is going to trigger a war in which only the best will survive.
The rest of the population without means will gang up and rise against the minority with the means most of which have been earned at the expense of the masses. It is the prepared ones in terms of food, security, and survival techniques who get to ultimately survive.
So, today people are in a race to ensure that when such a time comes, it is they that survive. On second thought, what if we worked ourselves out to ensure that such a time never comes. We can do that by ensuring we reduce our carbon imprint on the planet, practicing family planning against the means we have and minimizing waste to ensure none lacks.
Now we have a choice. We either get into the race of trying to secure our future by gobbling up as much as we can or we play our part in ensuring that such an eventuality doesn’t end up arising. Whatever choice we make, the consequences will come upon us nevertheless. The difference will only be the nature of the consequences.