Introduction

This is just a clipboard for thoughts on the Great Decisions material between our in-person meetings. It may be just personal, a place for me to try out ideas at leisure when the aging mind does not respond to time pressure. My theme would be about limits. Limited future resources since we consumed the cheap easy to get resources first. The low hanging fruit. This is true of diesel oil, which runs the world, but also all other resources such as copper. Limited ecology as eight billion humans degrade the natural resources that used to be abundant. Limited economic prospects due to emphasis on finance almost unconnected with the real world, abstract derivatives on top of derivatives. The economy is ultimately about the flow of energy and not fiat currencies. Bumper sticker might be DEGROWTH. The views expressed are not always the views of the sponsor. The first post on immigration may be on one extreme, it is my "base case" a strong opinion lightly held, as someone said. Open to comments. (However I would say that there should have also been restraint on taking all those Irish in 1848. The "you wouldn't be here" argument is a little nutty) Ten Reasons to Stop Immigration (no particular order) 1. Human species is in massive numerical overshoot which historically leads to massive collapse. This is a big topic, google the pair of deer released on St. Matthews Island. The USA lifestyle would require 4-5 Earths to be sustainable. 2. North America was full of people in 1491, by the technology of the time. Population estimates for 1491 are around thirty million. We are about 20 time the population that could be sustained without fossil fuels or some spectacular, yet to be invented, energy substitute. 3.Unplanned migration removes the usual natural feedback that would restore population balance. Island people, without immigration, have often found a balance for thousands of years. Yes, there are harsh elements. Well there is Easter Island, not so good. You cannot be allowed to foul more than one nest. 4. Migration adds a destabilizing positive feedback to the host country. Positive in the sense of systems, the squeal you get in a sound system. Negative for sustainability. 5. Migration to the "west" developed countries adds to the affluence factor, increased consumption, worse for the planet. Sitting here in my desk chair, I consume about 60 watts of energy, one light bulb. As an American considering the whole country's energy divided by population I consume about that of a giant Blue Whale. Something like 1,000 times by baseline energy. Think of the Department of Defense. Every USA immigrant becomes a whale size parasite. 6. At some level immigration is socially destabilizing. The USA has added 80,000,000 people, the population of Germany in the last 40 years. The social compact is threatened. 7. Unilateral support for immigration is arrogant. It consumes community resources that perhaps neighbors would choose to redirect. English as second language in schools. Roads, utilities, sewer, trash, is there a true consensus? Is it an unfunded mandate? 8. Are those supporting immigration looking at a wide perspective, forward to future generations. I had a friend who would throw a beached conch back in the water. "I saved at least that one". Really? 9.What are the effects on the native successive generations? In developed countries the successive generations tend toward greater helplessness. They have to pick their own crops? 10. Is the support for immigration coming from the dark side. Amazon, Walmart, the banks, want a larger economy. Some see growth as an economic essential. All growth has to stop. Are the generous people being played? OK there are a range of options. How about reciprocal immigration? Systems folks look for leverage points and I think control of immigration is one.