The demographic timebomb.

[Workingman]

It is reported that China's birth rate has fallen below its replenishment level and also that its elderly are living longer. This means that there will be fewer workers supporting the retired, and this is a disaster.

It is the same disaster that has been going on in the industrialised nations for decades and their answer has been the Ponzi scheme of importing younger workers from anywhere and everywhere. Why is it a Ponzi scheme? Well that is because those younger people will one day become old and also need looking after. Unless some way is found to send them back the overall population will continue to grow and grow to unsustainable levels. The UK is not far off that level and many think that it has already been reached.

This is a global problem that will eventually make everyone poorer as resources are spread out thinner and thinner. This is why economists and capitalist are always banging on about growth - eternal growth. All this does is trash the atmosphere and the physical environment and will be the death knell for billions of us, including economists and capitalists.

We have to change, and soon, because there is no escape pod.

[cromwell]

In the 1970's someone wrote a book called "The limits to growth". Subject as far as I recall how finite resources can handle infinite growth; so this problem has been known about.
And studiously ignored!
More people = more consumption = more sales = more profit, which is very popular with big business.
Atm the capitalist plates are kept going by immigration. How long that can keep on going, who knows.
But as you say todays young become tomorrows old, and the pyramid scheme has to keep on going by frantically bringing in more and more young people at the bottom to cater for the retired at the top.
I have no clue as to what the answer is though.

[Workingman]

I have no clue as to what the answer is though.

Nobody does, that's why Mother Nature will step in.

I think it was Suff who once mentioned something along the lines of the number of fish in a pond that were being killed off doubled every day but that it was only when half of them had died that the fishermen decided to do something about it.

We are fast approaching the half way mark.

[Suff]

It was if an algae was covering the ocean and killing it, also blocking oxygen and doubling in size every day.

At 50% coverage they would have one day to fix it. The next day half the oxygen production would fail but the politicians don't act until it is both blindingly obvious and far too late.

Sorry for going awol, work is a total mare, I was on an Internet diet over Christmas etc and I'm handing in my notice and heading for Europe till the numpties sort themselves out on IR35 (total farce right now).

So I've been a bit distracted. Then my mother fell over a kerb and broke her ankle, one pin and two plates.

Not a stellar start to the year..

[Workingman]

It was if an algae was covering the ocean and killing it...

That's the one!

As for being AWOL. It's not a chargeable offence on VV so no 'jankers' for you.

Good luck with your new work, whatever it is, and best wishes to your mum. My little old lady fell and broke her hip just before Christmas and had a replacement and she's recovering well, I hope your mum goes the same way.

[cromwell]

I hope your mum recovers quickly Suff.
As long as the population in Africa keeps exploding there is no need for the politicians to panic. Consumerist capitalism can be kept going by letting boatloads of them into Europe, which is happening every day. They don't care too much about the social tensions that result from this.

[Kaz]

Sorry to hear about your mum Suff, welcome back xx

[miasmum]

Hope your mum and your year soon improve Suff. xx

[jenniren]

I was wondering where you were Suff, sorry to hear you've had a bad start to the year. Hope your mum recovers quickly and things pick up for you. Welcome back xx

[AliasAggers]

Welcome back, Suff. We missed you.

Hope your Mum gets better soon.