tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532313388110978122.post142687863772327081..comments2023-10-28T00:47:18.069-07:00Comments on Weeks Population: Feed the World by Eating Less MeatJohn Weekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04069566137451684355noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532313388110978122.post-68999580528917860622015-01-06T11:52:52.962-08:002015-01-06T11:52:52.962-08:00John ... in a more general sense, the "land g...John ... in a more general sense, the "land grab" is a knock-down drag-out fight for resources. And yes, you are quite correct! The WAY that the land is being used now is far from efficient. <br /><br />It we take your point and generalize it ... you are hitting on a major "disconnect" in the global economy. This is not a trivial issue ... it's a HUGE issue that is only going to get much worse. Let's take your example. Suppose we want Chinese consumers to STOP eating pork chow mein, and to start eating more vegetable dishes. WHO exactly is going to tell them to do that? The answer, of course, is no-one. All of the economic systems that operate in the world today are basically set up to produce goods - for whoever PAYS for those goods. The entire system is founded on money and GREED. The system was never constructed to be logical, or fair, or to "make sense". Or at least, it did once make sense. But the assumptions that founded this global economic system are now found to be faltering. The system simply developed over thousands of years and countless civilizations. As they say, "whoever has the gold makes the rules". And therefore since China is prospering in the global economy, there is absolutely no-one who can stop them from eating pork. And lest I be accused of hitting China "below their pork-fed belts", who is going to tell Americans to STOP eating hamburgers? It is exactly the same problem.<br /><br />Which brings me to the ESSENTIAL POINT - really a generalization of what you already said. The current global economic systems are NOT compatible with the long-term survival of a world that has 9-10 billion people. The math simply does NOT work out. If we retain our current economic systems, we are absolutely guaranteed to see WARS. Many of them, and indeed much larger wars than we have experienced in the past. And the economic system will gladly accept and PROMOTE these wars - because the system "believes" in the credo of greed and fear. It is exactly what Alan Greenspan said about market forces. They are driven by greed and fear.<br /><br />Our global economic systems developed in a world that once had "unlimited resources". Today, we do not live in such a world. It is coming to an end - very rapidly. So is our own peace of mind, and possibly the existence of several billion people. They will also come to an end - if we don't radically reform the economic system. <br /><br />cheers, Pete<br />Redondo Beach, CAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com