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Re: Population Limited by Territoriality?
shire@dorsai.org
Sat, 24 Dec 1994 16:49:16 GMT
In article <3dfdprINNh2f@hpsdlmf7.sdd.hp.com> geroldf@sdd.hp.com (Gerold Firl) writes:
The study of how different societies have dealt with this problem is one of
>the most interesting and important ones in all of anthropology,
>particularly since the recent disturbances created by western technology
>has circumvented many of these controls, creating our population crisis. We
>need to adapt fast.
Absolutely. One of the more interesting/bizarre methods of social control in
response to technology, uses ADVERTISING as a means to change attitude and
BEHAVIOR. In Singapore, apparently, there was an ad campaign that urged young
people to wait for the "right" one. Then, the government decided the campaign
was too successful and started another one, based on the theme: why wait for
a fantasy? The idea being that you should damn well settle and fast, for
whoever you are going out with. I don't know if it worked.
I would be very interested in any contributions to the methodology of
population control that might have a basis in anthropological studies. In
many ways, Western Industrial Society is quite new, but still, we are all
human. Perhaps the field can make some kind of contribution. Specifically, I
would be interested in any sudden changes [because change moves fast in the
industrial world] in the "spiritual" life of societies. It seems to me that
much of population growth can be laid at the feet of "religious" values, and
these are going to have to change in countries as diverse as India and the US,
if we are going to bring pop. growth under control.
Any takers?
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