> a recent paper inspired by their book, by Charles Jones, an economist at Stanford University, argues that over the long run any positive economic effects that come from a shrinking population may be cancelled out by the reduction in humankind’s creative capacity. If ideas drive growth and people are the source of ideas, he writes, then the fate of our species depends crucially on long-run population trends
We have more creatives than we can already handle, more talented PhD scientists, researchers and engineers than a dozen Earths can afford to fund. In the face of relentless environmental degradation, greenhouse pollution and a scientific consensus that our planets sixth great extinction event occurring right now is solely caused by humans, how can anyone make statements like this with a straight face?
Energy and resource exploitation is rising rapidly in the developing world, were they to consume as much per person as the West overnight the planet would be ruined very quickly.