Tuesday, January 03, 2006

The demographic problem

Most of us haven't yet begun to think about the consequences of low birth rates and the future of Western Civilization. I hadn't. An essay I read this morning changed all that. Read it here. It is brilliant, but scary. Basically it presents our most important problem in a way which is impossible to disagree with.

Here is a sample which should intice you to read it all.

".... if we are at war—and half the American people and significantly higher percentages in Britain, Canada, and Europe don’t accept that proposition—than what exactly is the war about?

We know it’s not really a “war on terror.” Nor is it, at heart, a war against Islam, or even “radical Islam.” The Muslim faith, whatever its merits for the believers, is a problematic business for the rest of us. There are many trouble spots around the world, but as a general rule, it’s easy to make an educated guess at one of the participants: Muslims vs. Jews in “Palestine,” Muslims vs. Hindus in Kashmir, Muslims vs. Christians in Africa, Muslims vs. Buddhists in Thailand, Muslims vs. Russians in the Caucasus, Muslims vs. backpacking tourists in Bali. Like the environmentalists, these guys think globally but act locally."


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