Re: pop

On Thu, 1 Jun 2000, James M. Blaut wrote:

> They start
> out from the premise that certain categories of people can't control their
> sexual urges and this is why they have too many babies. 

Noone has made this sort of claim.

Sounds to me like another great example of ideology kicking in, and
seeing "racists" instead of reasoning about the issue on its merits.

But the point you go on to make about rationality is interesting -- I am
inclined to agree that people make rational choices about having children,
rational choices within a cultural context anyway.  (Try to tell me that
the large average family size among Mormons here in Utah and elsewhere has
nothing to do with their religious culture.)

However, choices that may be, or seem to be, rational at the individual or
family level are definitely not always rational at the societal,
ecosystem, or global level.  Again, this is true whether your concern is
strictly human or includes the rest of life as well.  Unintended
consequences and lack of substantive rationality prevail.

RH