The post about population provides a new perspective on abortion. Today, abortion is seen as an individual choice, either by individual right or a mandated right to the unborn. Mariner has been befuddled about the role of abortion in society – why there is so much focus on this issue given the many more abusive behaviors around today (like shooting children??). The post on population provides a universal perspective that supersedes politics and even religion: overpopulation.

Women (and associated men) choose not to have children or to abort their fetus for the same reason female mice did – overcrowded conditions. Agreed there may be personal psychological reasons not to have children; one may easily accept the idea that career comes first. But abortion is such a large issue around the world that some universal situation provokes attention. Is it overcrowding? Is it a subconscious fear of not having stability because resources are not a given? How many times have we heard a woman say ‘I’ll have children later when I have the assets to support them’?

It seems there is a subconscious awareness that resources may not be available for whatever reason. Do we blame this angst on politics? Religion? Indirectly, yes because the real issue is a shortage of resources due both to overpopulation and environmental abuse, something that could be better managed. Crushing intervention by governments doesn’t work; China has proven that several times in history. Perhaps politics should let reproduction play out just like the female mice. Every species in the world is changing its genome because of global warming. Wouldn’t reproduction change because of overcrowding? Perhaps personal choice is the normal rule under the circumstances.

Give it some thought. Think of some other issues like housing shortage and the growing spread between rich and poor. Are they related to overcrowding?

Ancient Mariner