This is a well-produced video about the “myth” of overpopulation.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZVOU5bfHrM?wmode=transparent]

I agree with its message … to a certain extent.

I think that those like Kunstler who predict widespread devastation (whether as a result of overpopulation or a dearth of oil) are wrong to ignore future  technological innovations. There’s a reason we didn’t all die of in 1890, or 1970, and that’s that we got a lot better at growing things and getting them to the people who needed them.

On the other hand, consider what a major natural disaster could do to our system. Take the year without a summer in 1815, when Mount Tambora–the largest known volcano eruption in 1,600 years–caused historic lows and killed crops all over.

I would argue that even if we aren’t overpopulated, we haven’t really prepared ourselves for a major worldwide (or continent-wide) disaster. I know I should not underestimate our capacity to adapt and find new ways. In fact, it’s our greatest skill. But even a cursory (ie, Wikipedia) reading of what happened after Tambora’s explosion should give someone pause to consider our systems.

On the other hand, Wikipedia cities the eruption as a cause for Mary Shelley to stay indoors with her friends and write a scary story, giving us the novel Frankenstein … so who knows, maybe a super volcano explosion will give us the next Shakespeare.