The Utopian World Championship

Henk J. deBruin: UTOPIA? PERHAPS, BUT.........NOTHING for NOTHING!

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Summary

Utopia is a dream. All religions promise a utopia, a heaven, which is not available on earth. Any trend towards Utopia is impeded by the natural threat of overpopulation, assisted by incongruent and unfair pecuniary laws, rules and regulations, right across the world.
Individual species of flora and fauna develop and thrive until their environment becomes saturated. The breed usually dies out, or otherwise becomes extinct. The present estimate of extinct species is 98% since the big bang! Some species are better prepared against overpopulation, than we are. Marsupials, for example, have their fertility reduced in times of over-population and food shortages due to droughts. We may well be too late in the survival game, and seem to forget that the earth’s surface, available to us, remains constant while the population increases.
Substantial influence can be exerted if man can reduce and ultimately eliminate some of his unnatural institutions. The history of money for example, started as a trading lubricant for our goods and services. It has now become the most important and most damaging commodity.
Research and development, particularly that related to human health, creates excessive wealth in some countries, often starvation in others. It also accelerates population growth, instead of reducing it. Environmental research is overdone. Global warming, for example, is a popular, well-heeled, research activity with questionable results.
The concept of endangered species is somewhat romantic, and difficult to manage. The 98% of extinct plants and animals have unfortunately missed out.
The most difficult problems to solve will be the man-initiated, unnatural laws. It should be possible to review the commodity properties of money.
It seems only fair that every person at birth has an equal start. At present we tolerate the imbalance of a heritage dominated existence?
Policies, such as globalisation, will accelerate our ultimate extinction. The increasing rate of warfare during the 20th century is unlikely to stop. Epidemics, old and new will demand more sacrifices. An approach towards a utopia of some sort should be tried to help us survive.

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Our extinction is accelerated by new epidemics, caused by ever more complex viruses, HIV/Aids, etc. In no century have there been so many wars, using more and more sophisticated weaponry and political superiority, than in the twentieth. Germ warfare is now available to almost any country. Hunger and starvation are becoming more widespread. Deterioration of soils and water and the irresponsible dumping of dangerous wastes are responsible for food shortages. The growing use of harmful drugs interferes with public health. Our rate of growth is being reduced by these nasty factors. It is not difficult to see that efforts to solve our environmental activities by themselves can do little to stop our ultimate demise. Man’s extinction will not be like that of the other animals, i.e. by the gradual decrease of fertility.

THE SIZE OF OUR BACKYARD
While our numbers continue to increase, it will become more and more evident that the 150 million square kilometres of land on the five continents will remain constant throughout the entire twenty first century This means that the space available at present for each person and his needs is a plot of 140 by 140 meters, and in 2100 only 100 by 100 meters. We have to share these plots to build our infrastructure, our homes, to produce our sustenance, and enjoy our entertainment, social activities and relaxation. And this is optimistic, because only about 80% of the land is habitable.
These are frightening figures. Uninhibited population growth is becoming the most disturbing feature in the survival of mankind. We have adopted environmental scrutiny. Recycling of commodities and of many domestic and industrial materials is part of this policy. However this is not going to extend our existence sufficiently. We are becoming aware, for example, that water is reaching its limits in many regions of the earth. Production of hydrocarbons will reach its maximum around 2006, and will decrease thereafter. Chromium and mercury are becoming rare commodities.
If only a natural drop in birth rates were possible, such as the decrease in the fertility of the kangaroo in times of drought induced food shortages! Population growth must be stabilized. Unlike all other animals, (except perhaps the dinosaurs) man is well on the way to a big bang extinction. Hopefully suggestions made below may reduce fertility sufficiently? No guaranties!
MONEY, WEALTH AND GREED
The greatest problem we inherited from the twentieth century is ever-growing greed. Sections of the community have become the underdogs of the wealthy. On a global scale the world is becoming financially (and militarily) more and more subjected to nation number one. Globalisation is the modern word for the never satisfied. Big companies in every country control politics and legislation. Their directors are less subject to legal authority than the majority of the population. And even within families and local communities the relatively well heeled have superior power. What is worse, this power is inherited by the progeny of the moguls growing into huge, un-utopian plutocracies, Exploitation of slavery oversupplied the USA and a few other countries with wealth. And yet the US is no more than a 30% democracy, and its government elected by less than 20%. Wealthy dictators, supported by the military, dominate most of the third world countries. Nothing new so far.

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