UT Biologist - Bad *** of the Week
- Thread starter GT WT
- Start date
washparkhorn
2,500+ Posts
In reply to:
Sgt. Longhorn
100+ Posts
What exactly does he want to save the earth FOR? Sounds like he hates people. Does he realize that he's people?
Yeah, this planet would be great if there were about 5.5 billion rotting ebola infected corpses laying around.
You say hes a bad ***. I'm with washpark. He's just an ***.
Yeah, this planet would be great if there were about 5.5 billion rotting ebola infected corpses laying around.
You say hes a bad ***. I'm with washpark. He's just an ***.
Statalyzer
10,000+ Posts
Why doesn't he volunteer to be the first?
The OP only linked us to the website that declared Pianka a bad *** without comment other than to use the website's designation as thread title. I don't know if that is supposed to mean he agrees with the designation or not. Maybe he'll come back and give us his opinion about Pianka.
Uninformed
5,000+ Posts
He supposedly is an excellent teacher who kind of rode the coattails of MacArthur with his research. In ecology circles he has a good reputation, but ecology isn't my bag.
His population control comments only serve to hurt him and his research. It doesn't make GT look very good either. There are so many better people to idolize. But, perhaps GT really enjoyed taking a class under Pianka. Did you, GT, do research in his lab? What was the topic?
His population control comments only serve to hurt him and his research. It doesn't make GT look very good either. There are so many better people to idolize. But, perhaps GT really enjoyed taking a class under Pianka. Did you, GT, do research in his lab? What was the topic?
The evil genius is such a cliche. It's stood the test from Dr. Frankenstein to Dr. House. We should all be amazed at his creative solution for the earth's problems. The brilliance on display could only match that of a 9 year old in a creative writing class. Thankfully, he isn't intelligent enough, ambitious enough, or charming enough to make his dreams come true.
He has a B.A. (WTF? - could he not pass calculus?).
He sees nothing wrong with suggesting the creation of a virus to kill billions of people, but when his own daughters are threatened, he suddenly finds human life valuable. This proves we all have monkey brains. (yes - it is a comedy but very true and insightful - read it all if you're into human nature and how it applies perfectly to this topic)
He has a B.A. (WTF? - could he not pass calculus?).
He sees nothing wrong with suggesting the creation of a virus to kill billions of people, but when his own daughters are threatened, he suddenly finds human life valuable. This proves we all have monkey brains. (yes - it is a comedy but very true and insightful - read it all if you're into human nature and how it applies perfectly to this topic)
I like the idea that another poster suggested: how about this genius be the first one to volunteer to off himself. What a clown. I imagine in the science world he is the equivalent of hornfans troll - that guy who throws out the most absurd ridiculous idea and revels in the fact that everyone responds.
B
Bluepies
Guest
I agree that the human population should be about 1/10 of what it currently is, but I don't think killing people off is the way to accomplish that. Once people are alive, I think there's a moral obligation to keep them that way. Now if he were to say that we should give free birth control to everyone on the planet, I'd agree.
I had Pianka back in '89. He was nutty, and was even then on the human overpopulation is bad kick. But I applaud his guts to come right out and say what GT won't: that he dreams of a planet with billions of dead people on it, and very few living ones.
I applaud his guts, but I am appalled that a man as sharp as he cannot fathom the simple reality that human beings are as much a part of nature as every other living thing on the planet, and have as much "right" to live their lives as every other living thing on the planet.
Every organism changes its environment by its presence in the environment. Those changes can either positively or negatively affect other organisms. With exceptions for symbiotic relationships, these changes are made with absolutely no regard to the well being of other organisms.
Man can make the most radical destructive changes of any organism, but man is also the only species capable of making radical changes designed specifically to benefit other organisms. You cannot view mankind as being outside the "natural" world unless you wish to view mankind as an evil force, as Pianka does. He says we're (humans) stupid like microbes because we populate like microbes in a petri dish, growing until our environment's carrying capacity is exceeded. I agree we're going to have a BIG population crash at some point because we have exceeded our ability to sustain ourselves, yet there remains the possibility that human creativity and ingenuity can solve our population problems without a massive crash. But Pianka views us as evil because he sees the planet as "better" without us. He takes the cheap, chicken **** way out. And that road leads to dreams of billions dying from ebola.
So GT, you gonna' follow that road, or will you reject it as I did a couple of decades ago?
I applaud his guts, but I am appalled that a man as sharp as he cannot fathom the simple reality that human beings are as much a part of nature as every other living thing on the planet, and have as much "right" to live their lives as every other living thing on the planet.
Every organism changes its environment by its presence in the environment. Those changes can either positively or negatively affect other organisms. With exceptions for symbiotic relationships, these changes are made with absolutely no regard to the well being of other organisms.
Man can make the most radical destructive changes of any organism, but man is also the only species capable of making radical changes designed specifically to benefit other organisms. You cannot view mankind as being outside the "natural" world unless you wish to view mankind as an evil force, as Pianka does. He says we're (humans) stupid like microbes because we populate like microbes in a petri dish, growing until our environment's carrying capacity is exceeded. I agree we're going to have a BIG population crash at some point because we have exceeded our ability to sustain ourselves, yet there remains the possibility that human creativity and ingenuity can solve our population problems without a massive crash. But Pianka views us as evil because he sees the planet as "better" without us. He takes the cheap, chicken **** way out. And that road leads to dreams of billions dying from ebola.
So GT, you gonna' follow that road, or will you reject it as I did a couple of decades ago?
C
Coelacanth
Guest
What an interesting thread.
NEWDOC2002
1,000+ Posts
NEWDOC2002
1,000+ Posts
And if we're handing out "bad-***" awards for wishing a decline in the human population then you ought to post pics of Hitler, the Khmer Rouge, etc.
According to your hero, the ends justifies the means, right?
According to your hero, the ends justifies the means, right?
accuratehorn
10,000+ Posts
I can't really believe he seriously advocates reducing population in his proposed manner. He must be one of those controversial "any publicity is good publicity" attention seeking types, like Rush Limbaugh is in his field.
While I agree we are fouling our nest, and the current population of the Earth does not appear to be sustainable, I think a more voluntary approach to limiting family size is the preferred model, rather than the genocide scenario-also a bit more humane.
I think as societies achieve higher educational and material standards, they naturally tend to have a more sustainable population size. Hopefully, this is what will happen over the coming years worldwide. The United States rate of repopulation would be pretty much ideal if not for too much imigration, our only source of increasing population from what I have read.
While I agree we are fouling our nest, and the current population of the Earth does not appear to be sustainable, I think a more voluntary approach to limiting family size is the preferred model, rather than the genocide scenario-also a bit more humane.
I think as societies achieve higher educational and material standards, they naturally tend to have a more sustainable population size. Hopefully, this is what will happen over the coming years worldwide. The United States rate of repopulation would be pretty much ideal if not for too much imigration, our only source of increasing population from what I have read.
Sgt. Longhorn
100+ Posts
See, GT, that's the thing. You used the past tense there. This population disaster that you and Pianka see hasn't happened yet and, in fact, may never happen.
You and he don't really know. Just because you think something is going to happen doesn't mean it will. It also doesn't meant that those who disagree with you are morons.
In fact, despite all the doom and gloom from Malthus to Pianka, this disaster hasn't happened yet and population growth has been less than predicted by the doom and gloomers.
Mankind can be dense, but I don't thing Eric Pianka and GT WT have any special knowledge or prescience that allows them to mount any kind of high horse on this issue.
You and he don't really know. Just because you think something is going to happen doesn't mean it will. It also doesn't meant that those who disagree with you are morons.
In fact, despite all the doom and gloom from Malthus to Pianka, this disaster hasn't happened yet and population growth has been less than predicted by the doom and gloomers.
Mankind can be dense, but I don't thing Eric Pianka and GT WT have any special knowledge or prescience that allows them to mount any kind of high horse on this issue.
MaduroUTMB
2,500+ Posts
Here's what this is:
An extremely important idea that will shape the next 100+ years of human civilization wrapped in an absolutely horrible "solution".
Overpopulation will eventually kill a large portion of us off, so the trouble of developing a way to do it is irrelevant. All of the ecological problems that we face- global warming, deforestation, the collapse of ecosystems, etc- stem from the fact that we outgrew our niche a long time ago with the help of technology. We're pushing everything else out of the way, to the detriment of the stuff that gets pushed aside and ultimately to our own.
The debate over how to make the future sustainable is at this point academic, because all models for the future that don't include wackos building a super virus state that we'll multiply and demand more energy per person until there isn't a sustainable energy system that could possibly meet even part of the demand. The fundamental tenets of the global warming debate focus on harassing large corporations while ignoring the ongoing population explosion and the unremitting demands from the current population to use more oil, even if it does not make them happier.
80% of the 7 billion of us want to live in Sugarland, Texas, where we can drive in a 4 wheeled battleship to work and drive elsewhere to do every other activity in our lives. The good news is that there's probably enough oil and coal left to get us there. The bad news is that there's probably enough oil and coal left to get us there and on to the bad times.
An extremely important idea that will shape the next 100+ years of human civilization wrapped in an absolutely horrible "solution".
Overpopulation will eventually kill a large portion of us off, so the trouble of developing a way to do it is irrelevant. All of the ecological problems that we face- global warming, deforestation, the collapse of ecosystems, etc- stem from the fact that we outgrew our niche a long time ago with the help of technology. We're pushing everything else out of the way, to the detriment of the stuff that gets pushed aside and ultimately to our own.
The debate over how to make the future sustainable is at this point academic, because all models for the future that don't include wackos building a super virus state that we'll multiply and demand more energy per person until there isn't a sustainable energy system that could possibly meet even part of the demand. The fundamental tenets of the global warming debate focus on harassing large corporations while ignoring the ongoing population explosion and the unremitting demands from the current population to use more oil, even if it does not make them happier.
80% of the 7 billion of us want to live in Sugarland, Texas, where we can drive in a 4 wheeled battleship to work and drive elsewhere to do every other activity in our lives. The good news is that there's probably enough oil and coal left to get us there. The bad news is that there's probably enough oil and coal left to get us there and on to the bad times.
C
Coelacanth
Guest
nuts
Maduro,
Okay, you've reached the same conclusion as Eric Pianka. He, at least has a solution - one designed to piss off most people, but still a solution. It sounds like you're in the 'if rape is inevitable, lay back and enjoy it' camp. Surely there's something we can do to avert a disaster we can clearly see coming?
Coelacanth - succinct. I like that.
Okay, you've reached the same conclusion as Eric Pianka. He, at least has a solution - one designed to piss off most people, but still a solution. It sounds like you're in the 'if rape is inevitable, lay back and enjoy it' camp. Surely there's something we can do to avert a disaster we can clearly see coming?
Coelacanth - succinct. I like that.
NEWDOC2002
1,000+ Posts
Larry T. Spider
1,000+ Posts
MaduroUTMB
2,500+ Posts
Weekly Prediction Contest
* Predict TEXAS-KENTUCKY *
Sat, Nov 23 • 2:30 PM on ABC
Recent Threads
-
Controversial opinions
- Started by Driver 8
- Replies: 675
- Quackenbush's
-
The Bible was created by man
- Started by Crockett
- Replies: 90
- Quackenbush's
-
Random ignorant comments
- Started by Chop
- Replies: 3
- Quackenbush's
-
Happy Mother’s Day
- Started by Dionysus
- Replies: 6
- Quackenbush's
-
Reflections on Reaching Age 80
- Started by HornHuskerDad
- Replies: 14
- Quackenbush's
-
Eclipse 2024
- Started by Dionysus
- Replies: 36
- Quackenbush's
-
PSA
- Started by SabreHorn
- Replies: 12
- Quackenbush's
Prediction Results Threads
