Borlaug’s story is ignored because his is a story of righteousness — shunning wealth and comfort, this magnificent man lived nearly all his life in impoverished nations. If he’d blown something up, lied under oath or been caught offering money for fun, ABC, CBS and NBC would have crowded the Capitol Rotunda today with cameras, hoping to record an embarrassing gaffe. Because instead Borlaug devoted his life to serving the poor, he is considered Not News. All I can say after watching him today is that I hope Borlaug isn’t serious about retiring, as there is much work to be done — and I hope when I’m 93 years old I can speak without notes, as he did.

RIP. What a legacy.

I clicked around to ABC, CBS and NBC and heard no mention of Borlaug; no piece about him is posted on these networks’ evening news websites; CBS Evening News did have time for video of a bicycle hitting a dog. (I am not making that up.)

But, but, they’re professionals…

He was a worthy and accomplished man, but improving agricultural efficiency only delays the inevitable time when agriculture cannot feed all of the world’s growing population. When that happens, we won’t have his work to fall back on.

Everyone will inevitably die, so I guess we may as well stop trying to advance medicine and technology too. In fact, why bother living at all? We ought to just commit mass suicide. Why delay the inevitable, right?

Increasing population + dimishing supplies of viable farmland & water + environment weakening from pollution & other abuse = inevitable disaster.

Knuckleheads like you have been warning of this inevitable disaster for hundreds of years. Fortunately for us, while you waste time complaining about how hopeless it all is people like Borlaug actually work to make things better.

An ounce of prevention …

And if that ounce of prevention means trampling on basic freedoms or murdering a few million infants, well… omlettes and eggs, right?

So when you speak of countries “adopting” one-child population policies you are unwittingly calling for some of the most anti-libertarian regimes on the planet to FORCE their citizens to toe the line, in perpetuity aka bilions of years.

What a shallow frackwit you are.

geddoudaheah!!!

Hmm, thinking that a finite ecosystem can support an infinite of people is ’stunningly illogical’.

Who made such a case? Not I.

And who says we are headed to an “infinite” population? Not anyone but you, and the facts are not on your side. NO organisms ever achieve such a growth rate.

You are no different from Paul Ehrlich, who predicted that hundreds of millions of humans would die beginning in 1970. Forty years later and you are still predicting the same thing. don’t you folks ever learn?

AS I SAID, almost all countries with large population growth are poor countries.

I ASKED you to provide solutions, but all you did was offer hortatory suggestions, such as countries should “adopt” one-child population policies, even though I TOLD YOU how that has led to infanticide and parents having their children taken away from them.

Apparently, such horrors present you with no moral qualms.

Unfortunately the sneerers and name-callers here, or their descendents, may have to discover that the hard way. An ounce of prevention …

Do you have any frackin idea how bizarre you sound, given that Borlaug’s work sustained and improved the lives of a billion people?

Seems to me that Borlaug’s solution, which helps create and sustain human life, holds far more promise than your “ounce” of prevention, which destroys it.

I do think most countries should adopt a one-child policy until populations are reduced to a sustainable level.

Then you dodge my point, since your cure creates huge economic problems for those who survive the cut. China, for example, will economically implode in the next fifteen years precisely because it adopted a one-child policy that will leave it with too few younger workers.

Again I ask: how can a libertarian be suggesting that governments impose population control? What libery is there in forcing people not to procreate?

You’re a solid-gold fraud. We can easily tell that you are not Indian, Chinese or a member of a third-world nation that has benefited mightily from borlaug’s work.

Are you an Earth Firster? Burn any SUVs lately? Topple any microwave towers recently?

I do think most countries should adopt a one-child policy until populations are reduced to a sustainable level. I would rather see a steady sustainable population last billions of years until the Sun fails, or longer if we attain light-speed space travel, than see a larger number last perhaps a hundred years: in the former scenario many more people will have lived, and live better, than the latter one.

On September 13th, 2009 at 8:06 pm, fulldroolcup said:

He may be “green”, but he’s not a libertarian. Wanna bet Greenlibertarian supports the House health care bill? Population control through euthanasia and abortion – the socialist dream.

but improving agricultural efficiency only delays the inevitable time when agriculture cannot feed all of the world’s growing population.

I just got a Tweet from Comic Book Guy:
Dumbest.
Statement.
Ever.

On September 13th, 2009 at 7:09 pm, greenLibertarian said:
He was a worthy and accomplished man, but improving agricultural efficiency only delays the inevitable time when agriculture cannot feed all of the world’s growing population. When that happens, we won’t have his work to fall back on.

Stunning illogic.

BEFORE Borlaug, India and China underwent frequent famines killing tens of millions, which were used by Malthusians to “prove” their Doomsday predictions were finally coming true.

Now the claim is made that EVEN THOUGH Borlaug “improved agricultural efficiency” (actually he developed disease-resistant and hardier strains of rice and other grains) all he did was postpone the inevitable day…!!!

LOL!! I suppose someone should have discouraged him from trying.

On top of that, the writer commits the fallacy that begins “if present trends continue”.

But Borlaug is proof positive that present trends do NOT inevitably continue.

Borlaug’s work will always be with us, and there is no reason to assume that others will not build on it to continue the development of new and improved food resources– just as there’s no reason to assume the world’s population will continue its growth rates.

The parts of the world undergoing the greatest population growth are the poorest and least developed.

How, one asks, will the rich nations of the world, ask the poor to reduce their populations, when they can see the consequences in countries like Japan, which is now experiencing demographic senility and its consequent economic decline?

Finally, how does greenlibertarian square his political philosophy with the draconian government intrusion into poor people’s lives which would be called for by population control?

Is he like Tom Friedman, who admires the Chinese government for its ability to just force its citizens to do what it wants??? Like the “one child” policy that has resulted in millions of girl babies being killed, or a second child being forcibly taken from its loving parents?

How about some solutions, greenlibertarian: what would YOU do??

On September 13th, 2009 at 6:39 am, zorro said:
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord,
And let perpetual Light shine upon him.
May his Soul
And the Souls of all the faithful departed
Through the Mercy of God
Rest in peace.
Amen.

Amen!

On September 13th, 2009 at 11:40 am, jamesgreenidge
Our “true heroes quotient” is rather pathetic here, even for the most historic achievements; Don’t ask a New York City college kid (forget high school!) who’s Neil Armstrong. Like asking one where’s West Point. Can’t believe the guesses! You gotta cry.

I agree! Used to be people like Thomas Edison, The Wright Brothers, et.al. were taught in school and held up as role models.
Now, it’s Hollyweird actors, singers, and unsportsmanlike sports stars.
No wonder America is losing it’s competitive edge.

Increasing population + dimishing supplies of viable farmland & water + environment weakening from pollution & other abuse = inevitable disaster.