There were 50-60 women were there to present for surgical sterilisation. The Bikku accused the project planners of taking measures to exterminate the Sinhala (Majority) race by using, so called, economic reasons as their excuse. This action aroused a heated controversy regarding the duty and role of the Buddhist monk in social context and the rights of women.
This remind me of a newly realized film called “Demographic Winter” which talks about the horrors of decreasing world population. It has been recorded that less than 40 years, the world population decreased by 40%. This is true in all societies around the world. The reasons are complex. The present sexual revolution (contraception, cohabitation, gay and lesbian unions), individualistic attitudes and lifestyles have pushed the society into fertility decline. Resents popular publications have shown the cost to raising a child is approximately between $ 250,000- $ 300,000, which I supposed demoralizing to the general population to have more than one child. This kind of population decrease is not new phenomenon; it has been seen in ancient Rome, which ultimately led to the decline of the great civilization.
It seems these predictions are slowly but surely coming to true: “The spying still goes on but it is twenty-five years now since a human being was born and in our hearts few of believe that the cry of a newborn child will ever be heard again on our planet. Our interest in sex is waning. Romantic and idealized love has taken over form crude carnal satisfaction despite the efforts of the Warden of England, through the national porn shops, to stimulate our flagging appetites. But we have our sensual substitutes; they are available to all on the National Health Service” [1].
Demographic winter’s website stated:
“One of the most ominous events of modern history is quietly unfolding. Social scientists and economists agree - we are headed toward a demographic winter, which threatens to have catastrophic social and economic consequences. The effects will be severe and long lasting and are already becoming manifest in much of Europe.”
A groundbreaking film, Demographic Winter: Decline of the Human Family, reveals in chilling soberness how societies with diminished family influence are now grimly seen as being in social and economic jeopardy.
Demographic Winter draws upon experts from all around the world - demographers, economists, sociologists, psychologists, civic and religious leaders, parliamentarians and diplomats. Together, they reveal the dangers facing society and the world’s economies, dangers far more imminent than global warming and at least as severe. These experts will discuss how:
Birthrates have fallen so low that even immigration cannot replace declining populations, and this migration is sapping strength from developing countries, the fertility rates for many of which are now falling at a faster pace than did those of the developed countries. The engines of commerce will be strained as the workers of today fail to replace themselves and are burdened by the responsibility to support an aging population. ever shrinking work force. The skyrocketing ratio of the old retirees to the young workers will render current-day social security systems completely unable to support the aging population.
The influence of social and economic problems on ever shrinking, increasingly disconnected generations will compound and accelerate the deterioration. Our children and our children’s children will bear the economic and social burden of regenerating the “human capital” that accounts for 80% of wealth in the economy, and they will be ill-equipped to do so.”
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[1] P. D. James, Children of Men. (New York: Warner Books, 2002), 8.
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