Quality not quantity: High densities promote the spread of infectious diseases

I agree with John Mill. He feels very strongly that nations need to adopt the motto “Quality not quantity” in regards to human populations. John Mill states that every country has the capability to grow, but provides a very detailed description why it isn’t the greatest idea for the future of the human race. Mill creates an illusion of humans walking on one another’s’ heels as a common practice. As Mill proceeded on with this hypothetical situation, I couldn’t help but to think of the Tyson and Perdue chicken farms that Singer and Mason spoke of in “The Ethics of What We Eat.” Singer and Mason give horrid details of the lives of animals confined in an unsuitably small space, and it isn’t too farfetched to think that humans, when existing at a very high density, will begin to experience the same problems. With a population spike, it is no surprise that food quantities would have to increase. In this scenario, humans will be forced to live in close proximity to livestock. This presents a great threat to the safety, health and wellbeing of the human race. In the past diseases specific to birds participated in gene transfer with human infectious bacteria or viruses. This resulted in deadly diseases like swine and avian flu. Investigations deduced that the avian flu originated in China. It turned out that duck farmers kept their livestock around their house and allowed their ducks to interact with wild ducks. While this sounds like a novel idea, it presents a huge problem. Wild ducks confer diseases to farm ducks, who then act as the vector to transport the disease within close proximity with human infectious agents. Gene transfer occurs between the two and low and behold a disease which was once specific to birds mutates to use humans as a vector as well. To avoid this scenario, human densities should be kept in check. By keeping human populations low, we will experience a healthier and a higher quality life.