Worldwide population growth is an issue that grows more and more urgent with each passing day. Our earth is nearing its capacity, and its important that we address this issue to avoid a worldwide state of emergency. Garrett Hardin and Clark Wolf both discuss this issue in detail, and offer their own solutions on how we should solve this problem. However, while Hardin presents a valid view of our world population problems, Wolf provides a more well rounded argument, and goes further to provide reasonable, effective solutions that target the true source of the issue.
Garrett Hardin, in his essay “Lifeboat Ethics,” describes the problem of current world population growth, and how we are making this already very serious issue even worse by living …show more content…
269) He suggests that the root cause of this population problem is actually an issue concerning high fertility rates. Wolf advises that when trying to lower fertility rates in impoverished countries, we look to ways to develop economies in a way in which everyone reaps the benefits. He warns that we must stay away from large-scale development programs as they historically have “increased income inequality by providing benefits for the wealthy few…and have done little or nothing to improve the lives of the poor.” (p. 272) He recommends that we instead turn to small-scale, grassroots development programs that “have been remarkable successful in helping people to create their own economic success.” (p. 272) Wolf also stresses that we look not to repressive “override” fertility policies, but instead to collaborative policies, which he identifies as educational opportunities (specifically women’s’ educational opportunities), women’s employment opportunities, and security for the …show more content…
Hardin suggests that we allow human population to “keep growing until environmental destruction and consequent resource scarcity cause widespread famine, bringing the death rate high enough to compensate for the birth rate.” (p. 268) Hardin’s narcissistic solution is really not a solution at all, but rather a call to non-action; a proposition that developed countries (specifically the United States) ignore the needs of poor countries, instead let them face devastation, so we can build the prosperity of our own nation(s). His proposal is greedy and neglectful. Wolf, on the other hand presents reasonable, mindful solutions. He expresses that if we want positive results, we must reject large-scale developmental growth in favor of small-scale, grassroots programs that “are far more likely to be effective in changing the fertility incentives of those whose needs are at risk.” (p. 272) Furthermore, after addressing the root cause of the issue, high fertility rates, Wolf goes on the offer practical policies that could be implemented to lower these high fertility rates, and ultimately slow the growth of population. He says we must reject the Malthusian approach of override policies for they do not get at the true reason for high fertility rates in poor countries, which most commonly is security for the elderly. Wolf proposes that we instead embrace
Garrett Hardin, in his essay “Lifeboat Ethics,” describes the problem of current world population growth, and how we are making this already very serious issue even worse by living …show more content…
269) He suggests that the root cause of this population problem is actually an issue concerning high fertility rates. Wolf advises that when trying to lower fertility rates in impoverished countries, we look to ways to develop economies in a way in which everyone reaps the benefits. He warns that we must stay away from large-scale development programs as they historically have “increased income inequality by providing benefits for the wealthy few…and have done little or nothing to improve the lives of the poor.” (p. 272) He recommends that we instead turn to small-scale, grassroots development programs that “have been remarkable successful in helping people to create their own economic success.” (p. 272) Wolf also stresses that we look not to repressive “override” fertility policies, but instead to collaborative policies, which he identifies as educational opportunities (specifically women’s’ educational opportunities), women’s employment opportunities, and security for the …show more content…
Hardin suggests that we allow human population to “keep growing until environmental destruction and consequent resource scarcity cause widespread famine, bringing the death rate high enough to compensate for the birth rate.” (p. 268) Hardin’s narcissistic solution is really not a solution at all, but rather a call to non-action; a proposition that developed countries (specifically the United States) ignore the needs of poor countries, instead let them face devastation, so we can build the prosperity of our own nation(s). His proposal is greedy and neglectful. Wolf, on the other hand presents reasonable, mindful solutions. He expresses that if we want positive results, we must reject large-scale developmental growth in favor of small-scale, grassroots programs that “are far more likely to be effective in changing the fertility incentives of those whose needs are at risk.” (p. 272) Furthermore, after addressing the root cause of the issue, high fertility rates, Wolf goes on the offer practical policies that could be implemented to lower these high fertility rates, and ultimately slow the growth of population. He says we must reject the Malthusian approach of override policies for they do not get at the true reason for high fertility rates in poor countries, which most commonly is security for the elderly. Wolf proposes that we instead embrace