“Without this present civilization, we couldn't support that number of people. And soon, we won't.” I agree. My perspective is a little different, I suppose coming from the hardscrabble existence of the high desert. I see Mother Nature (or whatever one wants to call that ‘force’) having either setpoints or ‘spirit’ focused on reducing our numbers. Pandemics, climate crises are going to trim our populations significantly. We’ve gotten to, or at least are very close to, the point where our ‘civilization’ can no longer conjure up miracles to support more humans. Then there’s the whole ‘fall of empire’, rising authoritarianism, and all the murderous violence that is latent in our species. Deeper subject for another time, all of this. So glad, Dave, you’re in this same headspace. Again, as with Euan below, I don’t feel so alone.