Guest guest Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 skip to nav Malthusian snobs pray for cure for overpopulation A misanthropic dinner party elite wants to see the human race decimated by disease – just so long as it doesn't affect them By Brendan O'Neill FIRST POSTED NOVEMBER 14, 2008 In the middle of all the hoo-hah over Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand's childish phone calls on a late-night radio show, you may have missed a far more scandalous utterance that was made on BBC radio. On 5 November, the upmarket Nightwaves on BBC Radio 3 aired a discussion about overpopulation between Dr Susan Blackmore (a neuroscientist) and Professor John Gray (of the London School of Economics). Dr Blackmore said the "fundamental problem" facing the planet today is that "there are too many people". Professor Gray agreed. Then Dr Blackmore declared: "For the planet's sake, I hope we have bird flu or some other thing that will reduce the population, because otherwise we're doomed." So, it's official: at the Beeb it is unacceptable to make crude jokes about having sex with someone's granddaughter, but it is perfectly OK to wish death upon large swathes of mankind. Make a rude call to Andrew Sachs' answerphone and you will be accused of dragging the BBC's good name through the dirt. Spout misanthropic nonsense about the need for a speedily contagious disease to come and wipe out mankind and nobody will bat an eyelid. At the Beeb it is perfectly OK to wish death upon large swathes of mankind The disparity between the public reaction to Brandgate (wild) and the public reaction to what I think we should call 'Birdflugate' (non-existent) reveals a great deal about the warped morality of the cultural elite. The reason why Dr Blackmore's remark received no coverage or complaints is because the herbal tea-drinking literati that listens to Radio 3 discussion programmes will secretly share her prejudices about overpopulation. Malthusianism, the one-eyed belief that all of the Earth's problems are caused by over-breeding, is making a comeback in polite circles. Following the discrediting of eugenics during the Second World War, Malthusians had been rather shamefaced about their beliefs. They continually invented new PC terms with which they might dress up their angst about "too many people". In Africa in particular, measures to tackle overpopulation were promoted in the deceitful language of "choice" and "autonomy", Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 I have to say that I am not against the culling of the race...but I don't think it has to be quite as drastic as the kind doctors propose. We only have to cull the 'top' 5 % or so---the truly 'useless eater' elite (and their enablers such as these acedemians) who have run this planet into the ground with their greed and disregard for anything but filling their pockets at any cost. THAT is the real problem this planet faces---not the rest of humanity... If we conducted ourselves in an ethical, repectful and humane way, working WITH the planet instead of raping it and considering it something to be possessed plundered and used for greed------population would not be a problem. So yes I too pray for the cure for 'overpopulation'. If however these 'useless eaters' don't soon come to understand that it is THEY who are the problem--a little 'culling' would go a long way... We must not lose sight of (real) reality. My thoughts... Bea--- On Fri, 11/14/08, Kathy <vanokat wrote: Kathy <vanokat Malthusian snobs pray for cure for overpopulationAvian2005 Date: Friday, November 14, 2008, 10:16 AM skip to nav Malthusian snobs pray for cure for overpopulation A misanthropic dinner party elite wants to see the human race decimated by disease – just so long as it doesn't affect them By Brendan O'Neill FIRST POSTED NOVEMBER 14, 2008 In the middle of all the hoo-hah over Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand's childish phone calls on a late-night radio show, you may have missed a far more scandalous utterance that was made on BBC radio. On 5 November, the upmarket Nightwaves on BBC Radio 3 aired a discussion about overpopulation between Dr Susan Blackmore (a neuroscientist) and Professor John Gray (of the London School of Economics). Dr Blackmore said the "fundamental problem" facing the planet today is that "there are too many people". Professor Gray agreed. Then Dr Blackmore declared: "For the planet's sake, I hope we have bird flu or some other thing that will reduce the population, because otherwise we're doomed." So, it's official: at the Beeb it is unacceptable to make crude jokes about having sex with someone's granddaughter, but it is perfectly OK to wish death upon large swathes of mankind. Make a rude call to Andrew Sachs' answerphone and you will be accused of dragging the BBC's good name through the dirt. Spout misanthropic nonsense about the need for a speedily contagious disease to come and wipe out mankind and nobody will bat an eyelid. At the Beeb it is perfectly OK to wish death upon large swathes of mankind The disparity between the public reaction to Brandgate (wild) and the public reaction to what I think we should call 'Birdflugate' (non-existent) reveals a great deal about the warped morality of the cultural elite. The reason why Dr Blackmore's remark received no coverage or complaints is because the herbal tea-drinking literati that listens to Radio 3 discussion programmes will secretly share her prejudices about overpopulation. Malthusianism, the one-eyed belief that all of the Earth's problems are caused by over-breeding, is making a comeback in polite circles. Following the discrediting of eugenics during the Second World War, Malthusians had been rather shamefaced about their beliefs. They continually invented new PC terms with which they might dress up their angst about "too many people". In Africa in particular, measures to tackle overpopulation were promoted in the deceitful language of "choice" and "autonomy", Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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