Kyra thinks about population control:
"Decrease wasn't really necessary anymore, was it? Had it ever truly been? With rational management (which was what the hypercomputers did best, wasn't it?) Earth could support many billions sustainably. Of course, such a cram-crowded, regimented existence wouldn't be for her. As was, how god-lucky that she'd have space to escape into." (p. 132)
Observations
Population control need not be enforced.
Increasing affluence reduces average family size.
Earth can support many more than it does.
Human beings, aided by their technology, are capable of rational management.
How large a population would crowd Earth?
Space should be an escape route for as many as want it.
In Larry Niven's Known Space future history:
pocket-picking is legalized;
people carry only small change in wallets;
each wallet has an address and a stamp so that the pickpocket can return it to its owner;
individuals must earn birthrights;
an all-round genius has an unlimited birthright;
there is a birthright lottery because the Puppeteers want to breed for luck.
8 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And access to space in a REAL way, including the founding of off Earth settlements, would, IMO, act as a safety valve for human beings on Earth. Enough who were unhappy or frustrated on Earth would leave to live as they thought was better elsewhere. That would tend to reduce social pressures, strains, and conflicts on the home world.
I have read of how 500,000 people have signed up with Robert Zubrin's Mars One project, volunteering to become possible colonists on Mars. Of course not all would or could actually leave Earth if Elon Musk manages to found a colony on the Red Planet, but some would.
Ad astra! Seam
Kaor, Paul!
I forgot to add I thought the idea of legalized crime of the kind you summarized from Larry Niven's stories hard to believe. I esp. don't think pick pockets will be kind enough to mail back wallets stolen from other people!
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
But the pickpockets only want the small change and the thrill of pick-pocketing. All that they have to do is to put the emptied wallet into the nearest post box. Why should they hang onto them?
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
To be finicky, I don't think PO mail sorting machines can handle things like wallets. And, more likely, pickpockets would just throw away wallets, and not bother to mail them.
In the real world, most people also carry driver's licenses, ID cards, credit cards, etc., in their wallets, not just a few dollars or pounds. So getting your wallet stolen would be a real worry and inconvenience.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
wafer-thin wallets used only for small change and a culture of stealing, then posting, them just for fun.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I can see, now, how that scenario makes sense in Larry Niven's Known Space timeline. I have my doubts it would work in our REAL world.
Ad astra! Sean
The reason Niven has pickpocketing legal in his crowded future is the difficulty of enforcement.
But biometrics and easy surveillance will probably take care of that soon.
Also, of course, who carries small change anymore. I haven't had coins in my pockets (or wallet) for years and I can go months without using cash at all.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Exactly, the real would horned in and makes it unlikely pickpocketing will be legalized.
I'm old fashioned! I PREFER to use cash for the small everyday expenses. Which means I often do have small change. And I prefer not to use my credit card very often. I've seen the horror stories of people going crazy with credit cards and ending up with $80,000 or $100,000 in credit card debt, and being ruined and "bankruptured" as Old Nick might say.
I'm just a bit phobic about doing everything electronically! I even wish we still had a gold standard and that currency was backed by something better than the "full faith and credit" of the US Gov't.
Ad astra!
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