Humans are Plague on Earth - Attenborough

[Lew]

Originally Posted by Damien

Cats. Cats will take over the world.

You spelled "rats" wrong.

[Osem]

There is still plenty of space around for humans but a) making that space available for habitation, agriculture etc. involves an environmental cost and b) if it is done, it simply promotes further population growth which then adds to the original problem. There's a vast amount of space in places like Australia, Canada and Russia which could in theory be habitable but would in practice be highly susceptible to further adverse climatic changes which could quickly render it uninhabitable. We're already suffering the problem here where land designated as flood plains has been built on - all very well until the rain starts falling and the rivers overflowing. Even where such land is left as agricultural we face the problem of much needed food supplies being destroyed. How much more serious would that prospect be if our population was significantly greater and our resources overstretched.

So far as I can see, the argument isn't about whether the planet could become terminally overpopulated, it's just a question of at what point that happens. The only conceivable 'solution' I can see is controlling population but how's that ever going to be achieved in practice?

[RB2004]

Yep the belief is that we was created by an extra terrestrial race of beings originally to serve them, which is why in lots of ancient texts like ancient Egypt and also civilisations before them it pictures strange images of rocket shaped objects and what appears to be who we know as the greys. Which is how the whole concept of worship and gods occurred.. Because to early humanity, we was probably very open to suggestion and nieve and all it took was for people appearing to make miracles happen which we didnt understand to make us believe them to be gods more powerful than us.

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

Agent Smith: Humans are a virus

We'll end up making the planet un-inhabitable for our species before we learn. There are already three times as many humans as the planet can sustainably support. Then when we're gone some other creature can have a go at being top dog or as many have speculated: Top cockroach.

if someone hadn't I was gonna lol

---------- Post added at 12:04 ---------- Previous post was at 12:01 ----------

Originally Posted by Osem

There is still plenty of space around for humans but a) making that space available for habitation, agriculture etc. involves an environmental cost and b) if it is done, it simply promotes further population growth which then adds to the original problem. There's a vast amount of space in places like Australia, Canada and Russia which could in theory be habitable but would in practice be highly susceptible to further adverse climatic changes which could quickly render it uninhabitable. We're already suffering the problem here where land designated as flood plains has been built on - all very well until the rain starts falling and the rivers overflowing. Even where such land is left as agricultural we face the problem of much needed food supplies being destroyed. How much more serious would that prospect be if our population was significantly greater and our resources overstretched.

So far as I can see, the argument isn't about whether the planet could become terminally overpopulated, it's just a question of at what point that happens. The only conceivable 'solution' I can see is controlling population but how's that ever going to be achieved in practice?

what is going to happen is this. Water levels will rise taking away land. The planet will continue to Warm up. Arid land will spread from the equator. Land masses will flood leaving less land to go around. There will be war and genocide 3rd world countries will be taken over by the better armed countries and there will be endless fighting for resources

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by RB2004

Yep the belief is that we was created by an extra terrestrial race of beings originally to serve them, which is why in lots of ancient texts like ancient Egypt and also civilisations before them it pictures strange images of rocket shaped objects and what appears to be who we know as the greys. Which is how the whole concept of worship and gods occurred.. Because to early humanity, we was probably very open to suggestion and nieve and all it took was for people appearing to make miracles happen which we didnt understand to make us believe them to be gods more powerful than us.

Well you've successfully blended several mythologies there.

Just FYI, the typical "grey" alien image didn't really take off until 'Close Encounter' was released. Then every alien sighting and abduction involved one of these guys.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Pierre

Well you've successfully blended several mythologies there.

Just FYI, the typical "grey" alien image didn't really take off until 'Close Encounter' was released. Then every alien sighting and abduction involved one of these guys.

Plus the interior of 'alien craft' started having clocks and dials from around the time human machinery began using them.

[mertle]

Originally Posted by Fawkes

The Earth is a self correcting system. The Earth will go on and so will life, but if we don't change then it will be the end for us.


EDIT:
Hans Rosling: Global population growth, box by box

very similar thoughts. I have always thought we are virus to the planet more akin to locusts.

My thoughts is the planet like living breathing thing which tries to eradicate those who attack it.

[RB2004]

Originally Posted by Pierre

Well you've successfully blended several mythologies there.

Just FYI, the typical "grey" alien image didn't really take off until 'Close Encounter' was released. Then every alien sighting and abduction involved one of these guys.

Might wanna tell the Egyptians that, although to be fair it's not grey lol but it resembles what people perceive now as a grey.



And the Sumer who came before them



Remarkably similar for civilisations that were a long period apart.

But back on topic, apart from making species extinct earth is indeed self healing, but population control isn't the answer for a developing world, solution is moving out into the universe and colonising other planets.

Which is what the work behind mars exploration is all about
.

Egyptian carvings contain a lot of strange things - but mostly the strange things are humanoid figures with animal heads. Are those alien visitors too, or is it just the ones that fit the conspiracy theory?

Erm, the Egyptian and Sumerian civilisations were at approximately the same time (founded approx. 3100BC - not counting the disparate city-states that preceded them) - the Sumerians settled around the Tigris/Euphrates (today's Iraq), and the Egyptians around the Nile.

They were around 800-1000 miles apart.

You who else the Egyptian's worshipped? Cats. Let again placing cats at the center of our history. The question is what are their plans for us? What are they waiting for? When will they ascend to take what is rightfully theirs?

We're through the looking glass here people....

For the first time in ages I've rated a thread..keep it up I need a good laugh..

[RB2004]

They didn't worship cats, cats were just considered guardians of the afterlife.

More astonishing though is how some religions today worship cows!

[mertle]

Originally Posted by Chris

Egyptian carvings contain a lot of strange things - but mostly the strange things are humanoid figures with animal heads. Are those alien visitors too, or is it just the ones that fit the conspiracy theory?

those are the group sagittarians going amok, do keep up chris

seriously lots weird ancient carvings all over the world point to some mysteric past we may never know. That I have no answer for other than those carvers had creative minds.

[Sparkle]

Originally Posted by Chris

If you believe you are a plague, feel free to stamp yourself out.

I subscribe to the Christian belief that the human race was put on Earth to tend and keep it, and it is our failure to be faithful to that command that causes problems for our planet, not the mere fact of our existence.

Thanks for that Chris, so very spiritual of you..lol but I'm sure you're just teasing.
I don't think Sir Attenborough ever intended to suggest its the mere existence of humans that's the problem so much as the choices mankind has made and continues to make, and if so then I agree with him.

I'm a "dyed in the wool" environmentalist, I live within my means, come from a small family and don't go around breeding.
Plague? Well I suppose that depends on your definition. If everyone lived as I do, I'm sure our planet would be a lot better off. And I think we'd all be better off too.
But yes, I do realise that even as an environmentalist my actions are leading to the destruction of the planet too, since I'm still a consumer and I buy all sorts of unnecessary junk. However, I do feel powerless to bring about positive environmental change as do many people. In my view, it's not people like us that can be (entirely) blamed for the environmental destruction, but rather those within our society who've been entrusted with the power to bring about change but yet refuse to do it. Historically it's nearly always the case that those who can easily bring about change, are the primary beneficiaries of the then status quo and hence have a vested interested in maintaining it. These people also tend to be very wealthy, and so their interest is usually driven not by survival, but by one form of greed or another.

So although as a consumer I'm still part of the plague, I nibble on the left over corn stalks or whatever the upper echelon master locusts deem too menial for their own privileged consumption. I serve my masters with humble protest, usually preferring not to feed in swarm, but never without a sense of guilt.