Glenn Stallcop Composer, Performer
Going forth without
When I was a teen, we were hearing dire forecasts of the coming armageddon brought about by overpopulation. Though too many people is still a problem of concern, it has not become the disaster that was predicted. The reason seems to have been partly the rise of birth control and the choices it granted to women, and partly simply the decision of many people to cut back on the number of children they want and have. Of course, there have also been technological changes which rose to the challenge of feeding and caring for more people, but still, cultural change has been a significant force. I remember reading about one report which identified the best form of birth control in less developed countries to be the installing of electric lights. Things aren’t always obvious.
When my wife and I started having our family, I remember reading about how the attitudes toward children had changed with the medical advances of antibiotics and vaccinations. It used to be that people had many children expecting that some wouldn’t make it. My father’s family had eight children, but they lost two to diphtheria. Modern medicine has made the loss of a child rather rare, especially if not during or directly after birth. With confidence in both family planning and our children’s health, my wife and I decided that two children was a responsible choice for both the family and society.
Modern people of child-bearing age seem to have much more serious issues to consider, however. They not only feel responsible to humanity, they feel responsibility to the earth. It is becoming common for people to feel that having any children at all is irresponsible to humanity, the earth, and to the children themselves. They cannot see themselves fostering a child into a world destined for economic, cultural, and ecological disaster!
When my grandfather died in 1969 at the age of 100, the pastor at his memorial said he was survived by six children, 25 grandchildren, nearly 100 great grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren. Needless to say, the church was packed! The parents of my wife and I, on the other hand, had a total of five children between them and six grandchildren. I do not expect those grandchildren to produce more than one offspring, though the jury is still out on a couple of them. That is a decrease of roughly 75-80%.
The drop in birth rate In industrialized nations is staggering. In Japan, whole towns are dying out. Not having any children may seem responsible at first, but it comes with many consequences, not the least of which is intense loneliness. A choice of this sort is almost religious in nature. You are giving your life in penance for the sins of humanity. It is the conviction that the problem is us, and the faith that only without us can the earth recover.
I have no response to this other than a deep sadness. Obviously humanity is a mixed bag and our response to crises is lumbering at best, but we are also capable of great accomplishment and cultural change. The climate crisis will bring great upheaval and tragedy, but it will also bring a new relationship with and understanding of the earth. Though supporting less people may be a healthier choice for the earth, sterility seems a little like giving up. It seems as though there should be a rational alternative, as difficult as that option may be. In the face of drastic over-hunting and the extinction of a number of important species, Native Americans were able to craft a sustainable relationship of care and balance with their environment which lasted for thousands of years. This kind of cultural overhaul is possible, though it is often accompanied by great tragedy. Considering the consequences, however, I think we should be having second thoughts about leaving it to somebody else.
GOING FORTH WITHOUT
When I was a teen, we were hearing dire forecasts of the coming armageddon brought about by overpopulation. Though too many people is still a problem of concern, it has not become the disaster that was predicted. The reason seems to have been partly the rise of birth control and the choices it granted to women, and partly simply the decision of many people to cut back on the number of children they want and have. Of course, there have also been technological changes which rose to the challenge of feeding and caring for more people, but still, cultural change has been a significant force. I remember reading about one report which identified the best form of birth control in less developed countries to be the installing of electric lights. Things aren’t always obvious.
When my wife and I started having our family, I remember reading about how the attitudes toward children had changed with the medical advances of antibiotics and vaccinations. It used to be that people had many children expecting that some wouldn’t make it. My father’s family had eight children, but they lost two to diphtheria. Modern medicine has made the loss of a child rather rare, especially if not during or directly after birth. With confidence in both family planning and our children’s health, my wife and I decided that two children was a responsible choice for both the family and society.
Modern people of child-bearing age seem to have much more serious issues to consider, however. They not only feel responsible to humanity, they feel responsibility to the earth. It is becoming common for people to feel that having any children at all is irresponsible to humanity, the earth, and to the children themselves. They cannot see themselves fostering a child into a world destined for economic, cultural, and ecological disaster!
When my grandfather died in 1969 at the age of 100, the pastor at his memorial said he was survived by six children, 25 grandchildren, nearly 100 great grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren. Needless to say, the church was packed! The parents of my wife and I, on the other hand, had a total of five children between them and six grandchildren. I do not expect those grandchildren to produce more than one offspring, though the jury is still out on a couple of them. That is a decrease of roughly 75-80%.
The drop in birth rate In industrialized nations is staggering. In Japan, whole towns are dying out. Not having any children may seem responsible at first, but it comes with many consequences, not the least of which is intense loneliness. A choice of this sort is almost religious in nature. You are giving your life in penance for the sins of humanity. It is the conviction that the problem is us, and the faith that only without us can the earth recover.
I have no response to this other than a deep sadness. Obviously humanity is a mixed bag and our response to crises is lumbering at best, but we are also capable of great accomplishment and cultural change. The climate crisis will bring great upheaval and tragedy, but it will also bring a new relationship with and understanding of the earth. Though supporting less people may be a healthier choice for the earth, sterility seems a little like giving up. It seems as though there should be a rational alternative, as difficult as that option may be. In the face of drastic over-hunting and the extinction of a number of important species, Native Americans were able to craft a sustainable relationship of care and balance with their environment which lasted for thousands of years. This kind of cultural overhaul is possible, though it is often accompanied by great tragedy. Considering the consequences, however, I think we should be having second thoughts about leaving it to somebody else.