Re: Re: Re: Re: uban Genetic Engineering(was Jesse Lemisch)

[Doug Henwood <dhenwood@xxxxxxxxx>]

Michael Perelman wrote:

> Joan Gussow, a nutritionist from Columbia U., describes how she does it in
> New York.  What I said was that primitive society can only support a small
> density, I was not recommending a return to hunting and gathering.
>
> Look, I am communicating over the internet.  It would be ridiculous of me
> to pretend that I am prepared -- mentally or physically -- to return to
> hunting and gathering.

Well that's a relief. But when I hear people evoking the virtues of
pre-capitalist life, leaving aside issues of historical veracity, I'm
really wondering what these nostalgias mean for what kind of future
they'd like to see. Hanson sees mass death; apparently Mark Jones
does too, but he's coy on the details. You talk about the beauties of
self-provisioning - which might work ok in California, but which
would be a bit more of a challenge in New York City or Nova Scotia -
and which you suggest would require lower pop density. I think it's a
bit irresponsible to make suggestions like these and then shy away
from the details. How many people can the earth support, living how
and where?

Doug