Why do you think humans don't have an instinct to *stop* breeding when our environment won't support it?

Question

Most animals have breeding cycles and even these are commonly interrupted by famine, to begin again when the land will support an increase in numbers. Why not humans? I mean, the mating instinct is far more powerful than our intellect, so why not have an instinct to stop when we can't feed and shelter our young? (Not everyone has access to or education about contraceptives, after all - and they didn't exist until fairly recently.)

Answer 1

We didn't develop an instinct to stop breeding, in evolutionary terms, the more children bred the better chance of human survival. Life was pretty dangerous back then.

Our overpopulation of earth has only become an issue in the last 100 years. Two of the three major religions actively encourage having as many children as a woman can stand to bear. I got royally flamed last week for pointing out to a woman asking if she ought to have a fourth child that I thought two were more than enough. Why not just replace yourself and your mate and let it go at that? We don't need any more people and if she wanted another baby to raise, there are millions of abandoned, abused, unwanted children to adopt.

The fundamentalist Christian movement finds my opinion on population control offensive because they believe God wants them to bring as many souls into the world as possible, and we're close to the Rapture any way, so what does it matter?

OK, I will get off the soapbox now and go take care of the rescued dogs I adopt because people over breed pets, too.

Answer 2

I guess because, unlike those animals, we have reasoning. We *should* know when to stop, even if some of us don't. And the mating instinct is so strong because it has to do with providing the most chances to pass on your gens. That instinct to stop breeding might be helpful now that we have overpopulation, but when the humanity was young and people's chances were mostly dying at a young age, that instinct could have endangered the continuity of our species.

Answer 3

I don't have the answer but this a question some serious thought should given to. If we all think well it doesn't matter if we have ten kids and everyone does it what is the end result gonna be. Look at countries where these children that are not asking to be born are starving to death next to there mothers that are starving also. They probably don't have a means of getting contraceptives end result a child. It is a sad situation

Answer 4

PETA is a ludicrous excuse for an animal rights team. attractive Ingrid, bypass over-Animal-Lover, helps breed-particular legislations. She suggested some thing like, "those who truly love their companion animals should not be laid low with those bans," that's a horrendously pretend fact. Pit Bulls have loving households, alongside with the different breeds that are banned in some cities, German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Chow Chows and Akitas. I used to imagine PETA replaced right into a sturdy corporation, yet then I did only a touch of prognosis and realized how undesirable they're. in undemanding words some months in the past, 2 PETA human beings took a number of very adoptable animals from an animal look after and killed them, then they dumped the kitten and puppy, canines and cat carcases right into a dumpster. Very loving, huh? also, Ingrid, who used to artwork as a canines catcher, admits to have euthanizing 1000s of adoptable pets on the look after she worked for. back, very loving, correct? If PETA truly cared about the welfare of animals, companion or no longer, they could quit supporting the Pit Bull genocide and easily bypass out on the streets to rescue ravenous animals as they pontificate.

Answer 5

In many of the poorer countries they have children because it's part of their cultural support network, the way their society works. If all the couples of that country stop reproducing their society will die out. It's not an ideal situation, but they know that not live to a long age and need someone to look after them in ill health.

Answer 6

Selfishness and stupidity.

I remember reading a story about a woman in a magazine who insisted on having her OWN child instead of adopting even though there was a really high chance that the child could inherit the gene for a deadly disease. I can't remember what the disease was.

Answer 7

If our breeding cycles ever do come to an end, I doubt it would be by choice. It would most likely be environmental factors that would make us sterile. It's like saying that we don't have the brains to stop producing, but nature would do it for us.

Answer 8

Did you ever see Sam Kinison scream about people living in famine, "Just move to where the food is!" There is still plenty of space on the planet for people and growing crops and trees. We are still evolving, so the instinct is still ever-present.

Answer 9

We have contraception, the pill and condoms for that. Some of us ain't bothered because it ain't comfortable or they can't afford it. We can stop but i ain't going to stop. Yes we can adopt kids, but those are people's choices. Good thinking, but everyone wants their kid to look like them. I don't know what i am going to do.

Answer 10

We have something better than stopping breeding.
We have war to eliminate high populations.
With all the cool weapons available we should be able to reduce the human population considerably.