The problem with limited resources for an increasing population, in Indonesia & around the world, are not anything to do reproducing more people or family planning. There are more than enough resources in this world to easily sustain an increasing population, because the nature keeps the population of the world in a balance. If people are being born, then people are also dying at an increasing rate, through natural or human causes (gun violence, car accidents, airplane crashes etc.).
Primary problem is the resources are concentrated in a few hands & those hands keep amassing more resources without letting any go. Some of those resources are being controlled by the governments & politicians around the world are corrupt career politicians. They all either take lobbying payments (legal) or bribes (illegal) to essentially do the same thing; favour one party's benefits over another's.
Green economy is touted around the world but no country, except very few, e.g. some European countries, Asian superpowers (China & India), & some Southeastern countries (e.g. Singapore) are actually doing something in this regard. Most countries are not doing anything either because they don't have financial power or fossil fuel industries are way too strong in their countries.
Green economy would have reduced or mitigated the adverse effects of climate change by now, if these efforts would have started a few decades ago. These efforts would have also provided jobs, increased GDP, & positively supported the economies. But, for this to happen, all countries need to work together towards a common goal, instead of fighting like little kids in the playpen (this usually happens in those trade & climate change conferences every year, & hence, after so many gatherings of the "bright minds" of our world, we still are headed head-long into a worldwide disaster).
Another problem is consumerism of the masses. Instead of reducing unnecessary increase in consumption, thanks to slick marketing efforts of multinational corporations around the world, everyone wants everything at any cost.
Financial resources are, as I said earlier, concentrated in a few hands. These elites keep amassing fortunes at the expense of the general public of their own race & ethnicity. They have no compassion for their own people.
We can apply the same idea to housing, food, & water shortages. Clean water is already very little in the world & even then, it is getting polluted, through fracking, for instance, in US. California is in a 4-year drought & there is no let up in its condition. Food production & affordable housing availability; all can be attributed to limited resources not being deployed in a proper efficient & effective manner. If these limited resources could have been or still can be deployed in a responsible manner, then these crises can be easily averted.
I believe you got the general idea what I am trying to say. Resources, be they be financial, food, water, housing, transportation, energy etc. are keep getting concentrated in a few hands. The general public is left to fight for a few scraps at the bottom of the barrel. Instead of working collaboratively towards a common goal of creating a thriving worldwide economy & life for everyone, regardless of our differences, we all are headed for worldwide disaster & human suffering.
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You know a country is overpopulated when people cannot afford to queue. In Indonesia this is visible every day at bus & train stations.
Transport facilities have long lost their battle with exploding demand.
Even the most polite people turn into animal-like creatures when a bus or train arrives. Something that might have looked like a queue disappears instantly & the best & most aggressive pushers are getting on board. Unless every inch inside the vehicle is taken already.
I have learned this the hard way. Trying to be polite will cost you many hours of waiting on a weekly basis. The only real queues are the long lines of cars queuing patiently day-in, day-out on nearly every stretch of road in every major city. Yes, it is that bad.
Onboard a bus or train, the situation is hardly any better. I cannot help thinking about sardines. Passengers, deep in each other’s private space, have one thing in common: An empty gaze on their faces revealing their attempt to temporarily exit from humanity.
These daily scenes remind me of those ahead of the Eid festival when rich people hand out money to the poor who die fighting for a few dollars. Or those of children offered candy. Rarely-seen aggression on their innocent faces when they are trying to get their share. Politely waiting for your turn is only affordable to those who know there is enough for everyone.
Demographic experts warn this is just the beginning. If the population boom continues, Indonesia will face problems a lot worse than transport nightmares or people fighting for small cash.
Already Indonesia is facing housing, water & food shortages & massive natural destruction. For years now, the country has imported basic food like rice because there are not enough fields to grow food for its 250 million people. These food shortages will only get worse according to experts.
Not many Indonesians would blame overpopulation for these problems. Ineffective government, corruption, God or nature - anything but the size of their families is to blame. An important credo says "many children means many benefits". The idea that children are the safest retirement plan is still prevalent. And with democratisation the country has given its people the liberty to produce as many as they like.
Meanwhile, the government proudly keeps citing statistics. Indonesia, the fourth largest country in the world, the third largest democracy, the tenth largest economy.
The word overpopulation has turned into a much more friendly term: demographic bonus; hundreds of millions of people are an interesting crowd for investors, or when it comes to power on a geopolitical level.
But what about quality of life? A term more frequently used now. When are Indonesians finally getting tired of battling for survival or simply struggling to get to work every day?
With a fast-growing middle class, the demand for quality of life is increasing around the country. Fresh air, clean drinking water, proper education, efficient public services will all be just a dream for most Indonesians as long as the credo "more children, more benefits" still exists.
Primary problem is the resources are concentrated in a few hands & those hands keep amassing more resources without letting any go. Some of those resources are being controlled by the governments & politicians around the world are corrupt career politicians. They all either take lobbying payments (legal) or bribes (illegal) to essentially do the same thing; favour one party's benefits over another's.
Green economy is touted around the world but no country, except very few, e.g. some European countries, Asian superpowers (China & India), & some Southeastern countries (e.g. Singapore) are actually doing something in this regard. Most countries are not doing anything either because they don't have financial power or fossil fuel industries are way too strong in their countries.
Green economy would have reduced or mitigated the adverse effects of climate change by now, if these efforts would have started a few decades ago. These efforts would have also provided jobs, increased GDP, & positively supported the economies. But, for this to happen, all countries need to work together towards a common goal, instead of fighting like little kids in the playpen (this usually happens in those trade & climate change conferences every year, & hence, after so many gatherings of the "bright minds" of our world, we still are headed head-long into a worldwide disaster).
Another problem is consumerism of the masses. Instead of reducing unnecessary increase in consumption, thanks to slick marketing efforts of multinational corporations around the world, everyone wants everything at any cost.
Financial resources are, as I said earlier, concentrated in a few hands. These elites keep amassing fortunes at the expense of the general public of their own race & ethnicity. They have no compassion for their own people.
We can apply the same idea to housing, food, & water shortages. Clean water is already very little in the world & even then, it is getting polluted, through fracking, for instance, in US. California is in a 4-year drought & there is no let up in its condition. Food production & affordable housing availability; all can be attributed to limited resources not being deployed in a proper efficient & effective manner. If these limited resources could have been or still can be deployed in a responsible manner, then these crises can be easily averted.
I believe you got the general idea what I am trying to say. Resources, be they be financial, food, water, housing, transportation, energy etc. are keep getting concentrated in a few hands. The general public is left to fight for a few scraps at the bottom of the barrel. Instead of working collaboratively towards a common goal of creating a thriving worldwide economy & life for everyone, regardless of our differences, we all are headed for worldwide disaster & human suffering.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You know a country is overpopulated when people cannot afford to queue. In Indonesia this is visible every day at bus & train stations.
Transport facilities have long lost their battle with exploding demand.
Even the most polite people turn into animal-like creatures when a bus or train arrives. Something that might have looked like a queue disappears instantly & the best & most aggressive pushers are getting on board. Unless every inch inside the vehicle is taken already.
I have learned this the hard way. Trying to be polite will cost you many hours of waiting on a weekly basis. The only real queues are the long lines of cars queuing patiently day-in, day-out on nearly every stretch of road in every major city. Yes, it is that bad.
Onboard a bus or train, the situation is hardly any better. I cannot help thinking about sardines. Passengers, deep in each other’s private space, have one thing in common: An empty gaze on their faces revealing their attempt to temporarily exit from humanity.
These daily scenes remind me of those ahead of the Eid festival when rich people hand out money to the poor who die fighting for a few dollars. Or those of children offered candy. Rarely-seen aggression on their innocent faces when they are trying to get their share. Politely waiting for your turn is only affordable to those who know there is enough for everyone.
Demographic experts warn this is just the beginning. If the population boom continues, Indonesia will face problems a lot worse than transport nightmares or people fighting for small cash.
Already Indonesia is facing housing, water & food shortages & massive natural destruction. For years now, the country has imported basic food like rice because there are not enough fields to grow food for its 250 million people. These food shortages will only get worse according to experts.
Not many Indonesians would blame overpopulation for these problems. Ineffective government, corruption, God or nature - anything but the size of their families is to blame. An important credo says "many children means many benefits". The idea that children are the safest retirement plan is still prevalent. And with democratisation the country has given its people the liberty to produce as many as they like.
Meanwhile, the government proudly keeps citing statistics. Indonesia, the fourth largest country in the world, the third largest democracy, the tenth largest economy.
The word overpopulation has turned into a much more friendly term: demographic bonus; hundreds of millions of people are an interesting crowd for investors, or when it comes to power on a geopolitical level.
But what about quality of life? A term more frequently used now. When are Indonesians finally getting tired of battling for survival or simply struggling to get to work every day?
With a fast-growing middle class, the demand for quality of life is increasing around the country. Fresh air, clean drinking water, proper education, efficient public services will all be just a dream for most Indonesians as long as the credo "more children, more benefits" still exists.
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