Ignorance is Bliss

I just finished reading an article in the 3/13-3/19 issue of New Scientist that has left me unusually troubled. The article stated that a couple US states have started mandating that public schools integrate a "balanced approach" to teaching about climate change. The article then begins to state that several studies have shown that creationists are statistically more likely to be man made global warming naysayers. The existence of this demographic is what is particularly troubling since this particular demographic commonly referred to as evangelical Christians is also the source of the major pro-life movement who don't want safe sex taught in schools.

My perception of how this group view the world is best described by this sentence:

"God has created the earth for us to do our best to increase the population density as high as possible with out any repercussions."

Now this viewpoint is extremely dangerous. Uncontrolled population growth is directly responsible for our current carbon emission rate which is due to the lack of contraceptives. Now the evangelical viewpoint fits perfect in the theory of evolution (that they refuse to accept). In pre-modern societies excessive procreation was commonplace to ensure genetic security since life expectancy was so low. If a couple only tried to have 1 or 2 kids there was a low chance that either child would live long enough to reproduce, therefore the societies that preached massive procreation were more likely to survive the ages. This value was ingrained into the cultures of the successful societies since it was one defining characteristic that made them so.

Obviously things have changed so why has this one ideal so hard to expunge from society? I believe the answer is hope. Hope that the statement above is true. Hope so strong that amid excessive amounts of contradicting evidence that this hope remains.

My hope is that we can rid the world of this dangerous hope. One thing i think we'll get us there is the site Wikipedia. I have always shuttered at the idea of charity since i can't get over the idea of normal charity just being a band aid and that the real problem can always be traced back to over population. But i can say with confidence that i will be contributing substantial contributions to Wikipedia once i have the financial standing to do so. My contributions will be aimed specifically to ensure that Wikipedia is forms that is available to all ages and un-blockable by parental controls.