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You make a variety of good points, Grateful Citizen.

The first article you posted - the one by Cal Thomas - is interesting, but may well be too optimistic. It mentions the determination by several groups that human life has a value of millions of dollars.

The concepts of overshoot and dieoff, taken to their logical conclusion, implies one must see human numbers not in actuarial terms, but rather as competition for scarce resources. Human life, then, would not have a positive value; rather, each life would represent a negative. Thus, elimination of each life would become a positive. Please note that I do not say I desire or advocate such a position.

Nonetheless, I suspect we are on track toward precisely that state of affairs. Unless a great many leaders choose very wisely, we may well get there. There is historical precedent.