Chop Chop

Every time I ponder the issue of our explosive population growth, I cannot help but blame virtually all of humanities plagues on it. From poverty and gender inequality to war and genocide, from urban sprawl and globalism to global warming and rising mountains of rubbish.

Resources are being depleted rapidly and our lives are becoming more desperate in a race for the last remaining ones. Anxiety is the widely shared sensation of the twentifirst century whether we are able and willing to admit it or not. We are struggling for our survival like a hoard of newly hatched sea turtles racing to reach the surf before being scooped up and gobbled down by some unknown predator.

Any species will come under pressure when its population reaches a certain size because only the fittest will survive the harsh struggle for scarce goods. Usually it’s the food supply that becomes increasingly limited, consequently leading to rivalry and ultimately starvation of the weakest members.

Sounds familiar? Many parts of the world are experiencing exactly that. And those lucky ones who live in more prosperous and well-managed corners of this planet acknowledge that luck can run out.

Who has not worried about work being taken over by a cheaper foreign competitor, or a university place given to a more industrious student. And so, as we all compete for impressive grades, ever longer CVs and measurable personal achievements in the hope to outcompete those who would like our share of the pie, our life quality in this desirable part of the world begins to sink as well.

Tiger mothers are a good example. Just forty years ago, with three billion fewer people clogging up the system, a book such as Amy Chua’s “Battle Hymn for the Tiger Mom,” for example, would have been regarded as the sad testimony to a full blown Angst psychosis instead of ending up on reference bookshelves across the world.

Yet, today we wonder whether she might just be right and even those who question her vindictive methods may consider signing up their children for an after school chess club and music theory tuition. Surely a slight competitive edge wouldn’t hurt, right? After all, what, oh my, will happen to us, once Aids will stop decimating the African subcontinent and China further eases its one-child policy....? So better scamper along little hatchlings as long as you can...