I really think the KIND of education is key.

"Overpopulation is definitely a big threat to liberty, we are already scrambling for resources world wide."

Time for breeders to get fixed.

"Time for breeders to get fixed"

In all seriousness there is an argument for giving resources (say land or money) to those people who agree to being "fixed" after their first or second child. A bit like China's idea but with more carrot and a lot less stick.

I hate to enter a troll mode but the biggest threat to liberty is Tettleton's Chew. Apple comes in second,but just barely.

I don't disagree with you. Although two children is too many.

Having a sibling is good for a child's development though. Maybe one and a half children, with the half traded in the style of the carbon trading scheme. A child license that you need to pass a test to get would work very well, but only if I'm the one who writes the test ;).

How is two kids too many - if everyone had two kids the number of those that don't end up with kids would actually put us at below replacement rate.

We don't want to be at below replacement rate. We want to be AT replacement rate.

Personally I do want to be a little bit above replacement rate though. I believe when I leave this planet, there should be more of redhouse then my parents put into it. And I'm sure mrs. redhouse would say the same thing.

There's a lot more young people than old people in the world. If everyone has two kids the population will still increase significantly. Besides which, an effort to have a controled lowering of the population of the world will make life a lot easier for humanity and a hell of a lot easier for wildlife.

Massive depopulation is all but inevitable. Most population controls are horredusly oppressive, I hope the child license thing was a joke.

No, we definitely want to be below replacement rate. 7 billion people is way too many. Way too many people in the rich world having kids. The amount of resources one first world child eats up compared to a kid in the poor regions of the world is staggering. Rich countries need to stop having babies. Europe has the right idea.

Although Russia probably has the opposite problem. If they're not careful they could have China reclaiming Outer Manchuria.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fertility_rate_world_map_2.png

"Rich countries need to stop having babies." ? Aren't the poor countries making the babies?

Sure but most of the very high birthrate countries are in Africa where life expectancy and resource use is much lower. The US's 2+ birthrate needs to go down. So does India & Indonesia's of course.

The biggest threat to liberty is Government. Benjamin Franklin summed it up quite well when he said "Those who give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty or safety".

Oh screw Franklin. Humanity is a danger to our own liberty. With or without government help.

"Eugenics was based on pretty educated ideas but without regard to liberty."

Eugenics is probably one of the most misunderstood ideas in the history of mankind. Nobody seriously opposes genetic testing of pregnancies or blood test requirements for marriage, yet that is eugenics.

"I have never met a single communist, or person for that matter (except maybe Fasces, I'm not sure), who has said that some people should not be taught to read. You teacher is an idiot IMO."
Actually I am pro-free education...

"Nobody seriously opposes genetic testing of pregnancies...."

Sure I do.

My sincere apologies Fasces. I eat my words.

Well people who don't wish debilitating illnesses and pregnancy complications on others, anyway.

Whenever people have a problem with eugenics they aren't talking about blood tests or pregnancies.

What if you match pick the best sperm and the best egg? This is hypothetical as I don't think this technology exists. Would you do it?

I mean of course a couple are want to have a child. I don't mean a breeding program. But if you couples could improve their chances of having a healthy child through some kind of selection process of for the sperm and the egg, is this okay?

Terrible typing on iPad... couples who are trying to have a child

"My sincere apologies Fasces. I eat my words."
its ok, I understand the confusion.

I think the biggest threat to liberty is anyone who buys into an ideology like capitalism or communism (or any of the many others) and states that it would be best if "everyone would follow my system for everything". Anyone who is narrow minded enough to think that our economic and social systems are simple enough to apply one political structure to in order to solve our problems or make the world a better place is not thinking deeply enough.

My conundrum is that I agree with everyone on this board in some respects. The question is where to apply each strategy, and not to use them as a blanket catch all. If you visited your doctor and every-time, regardless of symptoms, he prescribed the same medicine you'd be in a world of hurt. Unfortunately, that's what most politicians I hear speak, and people I read that post are saying.

Thanks for listening.

"Whenever people have a problem with eugenics they aren't talking about blood tests or pregnancies."

But that's the whole point. "Eugenics" is anything which aims to improve the genetic composition of the population. This includes a large number of things that people have no problem doing, but eugenics still is uniformly condemned.

Putin...you haven't made any arguments for Liberty, whatsoever. Why are you on this thread?