Comments for morethebook.org http://morethebook.org Sun, 06 Jul 2008 04:14:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on In the Philippines, Less of What Women Want by Robert Engelman http://morethebook.org/2008/05/07/in-the-philippines-less-of-what-women-want/#comment-24 Robert Engelman Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:39:47 +0000 http://morethebook.org/?p=33#comment-24 To Rachel N H: I agree with you, and if I understand the attitude you're describing correctly, I have indeed encountered it. My response is generally along the lines of your own. Plenty of data (the Guttmacher Institute at http://www.guttmacher.org is a good source for data on abortion) show that criminalizing abortion never comes close to eliminating it but does maim and kill women by the thousands. In More I tried to provide some of the history of abortion and to show how common it has always been--and how dangerous, and how much it reflects the lack of safe contraceptive options. For alphabetical reasons, the first two entries in the book's index relate to abortion--I hope you can find material there to use in your conversations on the topic. To Rachel N H: I agree with you, and if I understand the attitude you’re describing correctly, I have indeed encountered it. My response is generally along the lines of your own. Plenty of data (the Guttmacher Institute at http://www.guttmacher.org is a good source for data on abortion) show that criminalizing abortion never comes close to eliminating it but does maim and kill women by the thousands. In More I tried to provide some of the history of abortion and to show how common it has always been–and how dangerous, and how much it reflects the lack of safe contraceptive options. For alphabetical reasons, the first two entries in the book’s index relate to abortion–I hope you can find material there to use in your conversations on the topic.

]]> Comment on Robert Engelman: “Oops” Pregnancies in High Places by Robert Engelman http://morethebook.org/2008/06/02/robert-engelman-%e2%80%9coops%e2%80%9d-pregnancies-in-high-places/#comment-23 Robert Engelman Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:29:23 +0000 http://morethebook.org/?p=42#comment-23 To ElizHart: I tried not to set up one as less or more important than the other (family planning access either in industrialized or developing countries). They're both critically important, chiefly because all women have the right to plan pregnancies and deserve the services to do so safely and effectively. My point in this blog post is that even if women in industrialized countries are having roughly two children on average (so pointing their populations toward an end to growth in the absence of net immigration), they would have even fewer children if their unintended pregnancies could be reduced or eliminated. Given the high per capita consumption rates in industrialized countries, that would be beneficial for the environment. That said, obviously good reproductive health services are needed in developing countries. To ElizHart: I tried not to set up one as less or more important than the other (family planning access either in industrialized or developing countries). They’re both critically important, chiefly because all women have the right to plan pregnancies and deserve the services to do so safely and effectively. My point in this blog post is that even if women in industrialized countries are having roughly two children on average (so pointing their populations toward an end to growth in the absence of net immigration), they would have even fewer children if their unintended pregnancies could be reduced or eliminated. Given the high per capita consumption rates in industrialized countries, that would be beneficial for the environment. That said, obviously good reproductive health services are needed in developing countries.

]]> Comment on Population and Climate Change: Can We Talk? by Robert Engelman http://morethebook.org/2008/05/19/population-and-climate-change-can-we-talk/#comment-19 Robert Engelman Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:21:27 +0000 http://morethebook.org/?p=38#comment-19 To Albert, I'm not too crazy about the break in the blogs either. I'll pass on your concern to my colleagues at Island Press who are gracious enough to manage this Website for me, as it's not something I could do on my own. Thanks for your kind words. To Tony, thanks! Watch this space. To Albert, I’m not too crazy about the break in the blogs either. I’ll pass on your concern to my colleagues at Island Press who are gracious enough to manage this Website for me, as it’s not something I could do on my own. Thanks for your kind words.

To Tony, thanks! Watch this space.

]]> Comment on Robert Engelman: “Oops” Pregnancies in High Places by ElizHart http://morethebook.org/2008/06/02/robert-engelman-%e2%80%9coops%e2%80%9d-pregnancies-in-high-places/#comment-18 ElizHart Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:03:11 +0000 http://morethebook.org/?p=42#comment-18 The UN report World Population Prospects suggests the population of the developed world is expected to remain virtually unchanged over the next 40 years, around 1.2 billion. However the report also suggests that, if recent fertility rates remain constant, the population of the developing world could grow to 10.6 billion by 2050. This would mean a global population of nearly 12 billion by 2050. The UN report argues that it is essential that access to family planning expands in the poorest countries of the world. The internet edition of Bangladesh’s The New Nation (4 April 08) notes that their government officials are calling “upon the people to check population growth and help ensure development of the national economy. The current trend of population increase must be checked, otherwise it may pose a threat to the healthy growth of the country’s socio-economic uplift programmes…” http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/04/04/news0579.htm So perhaps it IS more important to support access to family planning in developing countries. The UN report World Population Prospects suggests the population of the developed world is expected to remain virtually unchanged over the next 40 years, around 1.2 billion.

However the report also suggests that, if recent fertility rates remain constant, the population of the developing world could grow to 10.6 billion by 2050. This would mean a global population of nearly 12 billion by 2050.

The UN report argues that it is essential that access to family planning expands in the poorest countries of the world.

The internet edition of Bangladesh’s The New Nation (4 April 08) notes that their government officials are calling “upon the people to check population growth and help ensure development of the national economy. The current trend of population increase must be checked, otherwise it may pose a threat to the healthy growth of the country’s socio-economic uplift programmes…” http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/04/04/news0579.htm

So perhaps it IS more important to support access to family planning in developing countries.

]]> Comment on Robert Engelman: “Oops” Pregnancies in High Places by Rachel N H http://morethebook.org/2008/06/02/robert-engelman-%e2%80%9coops%e2%80%9d-pregnancies-in-high-places/#comment-13 Rachel N H Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:18:11 +0000 http://morethebook.org/?p=42#comment-13 "We also need much better contraceptive access and options in industrialized countries as well. And we need to figure out how to make contraception less of an “unmentionable” for every woman and man, right up to the level of prime ministers and their spouses." This is the essence of what we need -- a real, honest critique about "our" (industrialized countries) assumptions about contraceptive access and family planning. How do we make contraception less of an 'unmentionable'? I think this is really a complex question, as your book details. It involves not only our concepts about gender and gender roles, which are still evolving, as well as our ideas about what families are, how best to care for our children, and what really is a good human life. “We also need much better contraceptive access and options in industrialized countries as well. And we need to figure out how to make contraception less of an “unmentionable” for every woman and man, right up to the level of prime ministers and their spouses.”

This is the essence of what we need — a real, honest critique about “our” (industrialized countries) assumptions about contraceptive access and family planning.

How do we make contraception less of an ‘unmentionable’?

I think this is really a complex question, as your book details. It involves not only our concepts about gender and gender roles, which are still evolving, as well as our ideas about what families are, how best to care for our children, and what really is a good human life.

]]> Comment on In the Philippines, Less of What Women Want by Rachel N H http://morethebook.org/2008/05/07/in-the-philippines-less-of-what-women-want/#comment-12 Rachel N H Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:05:19 +0000 http://morethebook.org/?p=33#comment-12 In my struggle to understand the positions of those who oppose contraception and making contraception available to women and men, I came across a curious attitude. It seems that some "pro-life" advocates believe that because there was no data on abortion rates before the Roe v Wade decision, there was no abortion. They often cite the number of abortions post Roe v Wade as a total number of "preventable deaths." This attitude really throws me, because it seems that the existence of abortion throughout human history should be a given -- a fact with which you cannot argue. Regardless of what you believe about abortion's morality, the fact that it happens, has happened, and will continue to happen in prohibitive or permissive conditions, should be incontrovertible. From my perspective, this fact should argue for a social policy that takes abortion into account. Trying to prevent abortion through legislation is illogical -- it is much more logical to try to decrease the incidence of abortion through access to contraception and education, if decreasing abortion is the goal. Have you encountered this attitude? If so, how do you respond? In my struggle to understand the positions of those who oppose contraception and making contraception available to women and men, I came across a curious attitude.

It seems that some “pro-life” advocates believe that because there was no data on abortion rates before the Roe v Wade decision, there was no abortion. They often cite the number of abortions post Roe v Wade as a total number of “preventable deaths.”

This attitude really throws me, because it seems that the existence of abortion throughout human history should be a given — a fact with which you cannot argue. Regardless of what you believe about abortion’s morality, the fact that it happens, has happened, and will continue to happen in prohibitive or permissive conditions, should be incontrovertible.

From my perspective, this fact should argue for a social policy that takes abortion into account. Trying to prevent abortion through legislation is illogical — it is much more logical to try to decrease the incidence of abortion through access to contraception and education, if decreasing abortion is the goal.

Have you encountered this attitude? If so, how do you respond?

]]> Comment on Population and Climate Change: Can We Talk? by Tony Cook http://morethebook.org/2008/05/19/population-and-climate-change-can-we-talk/#comment-10 Tony Cook Sat, 31 May 2008 00:54:25 +0000 http://morethebook.org/?p=38#comment-10 I heard you on Talk of the Nation today, and although I haven't been able to read these blogs yet, let alone your book, I thought your views were interesting. I look forward to hearing more from you, as well as seeing more conversation on this page as people wander in after listening to your interview! I heard you on Talk of the Nation today, and although I haven’t been able to read these blogs yet, let alone your book, I thought your views were interesting. I look forward to hearing more from you, as well as seeing more conversation on this page as people wander in after listening to your interview!

]]> Comment on About Island Press by Tim Doyle http://morethebook.org/about-island-press/#comment-9 Tim Doyle Fri, 30 May 2008 23:43:20 +0000 http://morethebook.org/?page_id=25#comment-9 I had the very good fortune of hearing you discuss your book "More"today on 'Science Friday' on NPR . Seldom do I hear such clarity, logic, and disarming lightheartedness applied to a subject so immediately important and personally liberating as this. Your book isn't in my hands yet... but that's the next 'click' I'm going to make. Thanks I had the very good fortune of hearing you discuss your book “More”today on ‘Science Friday’ on NPR . Seldom do I hear such clarity, logic, and disarming lightheartedness applied to a subject so immediately important and personally liberating as this.
Your book isn’t in my hands yet… but that’s the next ‘click’ I’m going to make. Thanks

]]> Comment on Author Q&A by Ben http://morethebook.org/qa/#comment-7 Ben Fri, 30 May 2008 20:14:24 +0000 http://morethebook.org/?page_id=15#comment-7 Over population clearly has its dangers; have you explored what the consequences are for a society when population is diminishing? Over population clearly has its dangers; have you explored what the consequences are for a society when population is diminishing?

]]> Comment on Population and Climate Change: Can We Talk? by Albert Kaufman http://morethebook.org/2008/05/19/population-and-climate-change-can-we-talk/#comment-6 Albert Kaufman Tue, 27 May 2008 01:41:43 +0000 http://morethebook.org/?p=38#comment-6 I appreciate the article, but don't understand why you break it up and point to a different blog... great work. Thanks. I appreciate the article, but don’t understand why you break it up and point to a different blog… great work. Thanks.

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