Volition or Enforcement? © Eric R. Pianka In a "free" country like the USA, people have a "right" to their excesses including unlimited reproduction. They can drive whatever they want whenever they want. In a "democratic" state, uncaring humanoids can and will do whatever they want. If we leave the future to be determined by such selfish people, they will ultimately destroy all of us. Hence, we must find ways to compel humans to behave for the common good of all. Unless we can reverse this selfish trend and convince or coerce others to change their lifestyles (including controlled reproduction) to exist in a sustainable way on renewable resources, there is no hope for future generations (Oreskes and Conway 2014). This generation will be the last with decision-making powers to save our spaceship for all future earthlings, including human beings. Once again, the bottom line is clear: our economic system based on continual growth must be replaced by a sustainable system where each of us actively chooses (or is forced) to leave the planet in the same condition that it was in before we were born. This will require controlling reproduction, many fewer of us and much less extravagant lifestyles. We won't be able to move around so freely (airplanes, cars, cell phones, and the internet will all become things of the past) and we will have to go back to walking and riding bicycles or horses. In addition, humans will have to be more spread out, living without big cities. Before it is all over, we are going to have to limit our own reproduction, un-invent money, control human greed, revert back to trade and barter, and grow our own crops, among other things. Last updated 10 September 2014 by Eric R. Pianka