[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.47,0:00:09.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I grew up in the 1960s,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.84,0:00:14.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,watching those TV commercials\Nwith those starving kids in Africa
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.71,0:00:19.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who stared vacantly at the camera\Nwith sad eyes and distended bellies.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.29,0:00:21.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in sixth grade,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.18,0:00:24.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,my glee club teacher, Mr. Collins,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.77,0:00:27.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,had us change the words\Nin this song we were singing -
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.90,0:00:31.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Singing) "Three billion\Npeople in the world" -
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.76,0:00:32.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.26,0:00:36.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Singing) "Four billion\Npeople in the world."
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.49,0:00:38.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I was shocked.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.05,0:00:41.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I couldn't believe\Nthat the population was so big.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.18,0:00:42.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I was even more shocked
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.68,0:00:46.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because no one else in the class\Nseemed at all disturbed by this fact.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:46.80,0:00:49.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A couple of days later,\NI told my friend Suzy Hollander
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.37,0:00:52.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that because there seemed to be\Ntoo many people in the world
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.81,0:00:54.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for it to handle,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.26,0:00:57.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that I wasn't going to have any kids.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.07,0:01:00.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And she looked at me, and she replied\Nthat she was going to have three.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.36,0:01:05.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I felt pretty alone in my beliefs.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.40,0:01:06.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And 37 years later,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.82,0:01:09.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I still feel pretty alone in my beliefs,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.17,0:01:15.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I'm still shocked that not more people\Nare disturbed by population growth.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:15.53,0:01:21.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I think it's because as a species\Nwe've decided not to talk about it,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.36,0:01:23.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to kind of tuck it away.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.00,0:01:26.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I'm here to untuck it.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.32,0:01:33.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Modern man first showed up\Non earth 200,000 years ago.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.18,0:01:34.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And by 1850,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.96,0:01:37.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we had reproduced so successfully,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.59,0:01:41.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there were 1 billion people on the planet.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.62,0:01:47.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That means it took 200,000 years for us\Nto put the first billion people on earth.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.26,0:01:51.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The next billion came in 100 years.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.43,0:01:55.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,200,000 years to get to the first billion;
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.42,0:01:58.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,100 years to get to the second billion;
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.64,0:02:04.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,now, we add 1 billion people\Nto the planet every 12 years.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.56,0:02:09.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in 2011, the world population\Nreached 7 billion people.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.77,0:02:11.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, this surge in growth
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.66,0:02:16.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,came about because of improvements\Nin agriculture and medicine,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.66,0:02:20.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because as a species,\Nwe are a biological success story.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.78,0:02:24.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Survival of the fittest -\Nwe have survived!
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.52,0:02:26.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we're also a religious success story:
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.69,0:02:29.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we have gone forth and multiplied.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.58,0:02:30.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.58,0:02:32.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But now we have to stop,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.57,0:02:34.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or it will be our downfall.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.60,0:02:38.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And just to give you an idea\Nof how fast population grows:
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.47,0:02:43.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bangladesh had a hurricane\Nthat killed 139,000 people.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.14,0:02:50.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How long did it take Bangladesh to replace\Nthose deaths with 139,000 new births?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.69,0:02:52.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Two and a half weeks.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.78,0:02:56.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, the world population\Nis growing at just 1% a year,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.94,0:02:58.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which might not sound like very much,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.70,0:03:03.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but 1% of seven billion\Nis actually a big number.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.40,0:03:09.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It means that every day\Nwe add 220,000 people to the planet -
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.82,0:03:11.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,every day.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.40,0:03:13.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this is unsustainable,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.33,0:03:16.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which means that at some point,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:16.21,0:03:19.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the world population\Nis going to stop growing.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.16,0:03:21.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The question is how?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.59,0:03:28.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Will it stop growing because of famine,\Ndisease, a war over resources?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.88,0:03:33.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or will it stop growing because\Npeople choose to have smaller families?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.63,0:03:38.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And by "smaller families,"\NI mean one-child families.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.01,0:03:41.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is where people start getting nervous
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.02,0:03:43.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,talking about overpopulation\Nand population issues
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.55,0:03:45.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because they're scared
Dialogue: 0,0:03:45.35,0:03:48.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that I'm going to take away\Ntheir rights to have children.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.72,0:03:51.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I don't want\Nto take people's rights away;
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.00,0:03:53.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I want to give people rights.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.73,0:03:58.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Forcing people to have\Nfewer children does not work.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.01,0:03:59.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:59.16,0:04:03.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the fastest and most efficient way\Nto stabilize the world population
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.80,0:04:07.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is to send girls to school\Nand to empower women
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.47,0:04:11.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and to give everyone access to\Nand education on birth control.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.85,0:04:14.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And those are good things.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.09,0:04:15.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And as a culture,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.40,0:04:18.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we need to emphasize the benefits\Nof having a one-child family
Dialogue: 0,0:04:18.48,0:04:21.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so people will choose to have fewer kids.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.87,0:04:23.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because for thousands of years,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.40,0:04:29.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we've been inculcated with this ethic\Nthat big families are happy families
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.04,0:04:31.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and only children are lonely children.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.39,0:04:35.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Couples like myself and my husband, Ian,\Nwho have chosen not to have kids
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.87,0:04:39.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were child-less instead of child-free.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.06,0:04:44.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And myself, several times,\NI have been accused of being selfish
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.88,0:04:48.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of my decision\Nnot to have children.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.19,0:04:49.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And all this made sense
Dialogue: 0,0:04:49.89,0:04:53.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when it was important for us\Nto procreate for our survival.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:53.34,0:04:54.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But now?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.37,0:04:59.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For our survival,\Nwe have to not procreate.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.80,0:05:04.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we have to change and rewire\Nour biology and our culture
Dialogue: 0,0:05:04.27,0:05:07.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to recognize the benefits\Nof a one-child family
Dialogue: 0,0:05:07.28,0:05:10.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because right now,\Nmostly what we see is the negatives.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:10.44,0:05:11.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.62,0:05:14.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when a country's population falls,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.40,0:05:17.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's all this economic doom\Nand gloom in the media
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.44,0:05:20.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because capitalism\Nis based on eternal growth.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.91,0:05:25.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Capitalism depends upon\Nmore and more consumers.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.42,0:05:30.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So yeah - when population lowers,\Nthe economy will suffer.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.28,0:05:33.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it will suffer less
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.03,0:05:37.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than if there's no more oil\Nand food and water
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.32,0:05:41.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because there are 10 billion people\Non the planet in 40 years,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:41.56,0:05:43.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is what the UN is projecting.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:45.32,0:05:47.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, you might be thinking,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.39,0:05:52.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Okay, this population issue\Nsounds troublesome.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.14,0:05:55.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But we should be having the babies.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:55.32,0:05:59.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're smart and we're educated\Nand we listen to TED Talks
Dialogue: 0,0:05:59.31,0:06:02.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we can afford kids and heck -
Dialogue: 0,0:06:02.44,0:06:05.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,our offspring, they might save the world!"
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.43,0:06:06.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even my mom says,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.57,0:06:09.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Oh Alexandra,\Nyou'd be such a good mother!
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.03,0:06:11.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And your kids, they'd be wonderful!"
Dialogue: 0,0:06:11.88,0:06:13.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they might be wonderful,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.72,0:06:16.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but they would also be wasteful
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.02,0:06:19.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because North Americans\Nuse 32 times the resources
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.19,0:06:21.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as someone from a developing country,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:21.62,0:06:25.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so it's even more important\Nthat we have smaller families.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.85,0:06:27.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.26,0:06:32.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,someone in the United States, on average,\Nuses 176 gallons of water a day
Dialogue: 0,0:06:32.41,0:06:38.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,compared to the average person\Nfrom Africa who only uses 5 gallons a day.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:38.41,0:06:41.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it's not just vis-à-vis\Npoor countries either.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:41.72,0:06:43.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We here in the United States,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.11,0:06:47.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we use twice the energy as someone\Nfrom France or England or Japan.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:47.45,0:06:50.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are a lot of countries\Nthat have a higher fertility rate
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.35,0:06:52.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than we do here in the United States,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:52.26,0:06:55.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but we all have to aspire\Nto a one-child family,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:55.20,0:06:58.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,especially those of us living here.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:59.91,0:07:00.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe you're thinking,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.96,0:07:04.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Well, don't worry, Alexandra -\Ntechnology will save us."
Dialogue: 0,0:07:05.40,0:07:09.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yes, it's possible that we might be able\Nto eke a few more years of resources
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.53,0:07:13.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of some new\Ninventions or technologies.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:13.34,0:07:18.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But in the end, even if we can\Nfeed and house 14 billion people,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.20,0:07:21.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what would their lives be like?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.16,0:07:24.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The population is going to\Nhave to stop growing at some point,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:24.07,0:07:25.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so why not stop now
Dialogue: 0,0:07:25.94,0:07:31.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,instead of wishing that some\Ninvention or technology will save us
Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.13,0:07:34.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that doesn't even exist yet\Nand we're not even sure works?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.20,0:07:39.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So for everyone to have quality of life,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:39.47,0:07:42.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the number of humans on earth\Nneeds to go down.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:42.94,0:07:46.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I believe that it needs\Nto go down to 2 billion people,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:46.73,0:07:47.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which sounds radical
Dialogue: 0,0:07:47.72,0:07:50.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because there are 7 billion people\Non the planet today.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:51.22,0:07:55.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it's actually the world population\Nof just 80 years ago.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:56.77,0:08:01.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So let's change our idea\Nof what the ideal family looks like -
Dialogue: 0,0:08:01.61,0:08:04.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,one is a beautiful number.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:04.61,0:08:07.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And let's not be afraid\Nto talk about overpopulation.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:07.08,0:08:09.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because it is not about\Ntaking rights away from people;
Dialogue: 0,0:08:09.65,0:08:14.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it is about giving opportunities to women,\Nchildren, and future generations.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:15.29,0:08:18.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And lastly, let's be part of the solution
Dialogue: 0,0:08:18.90,0:08:21.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and choose, from now on,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:21.08,0:08:25.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to bring forth no more\Nthan one child ourselves.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:25.94,0:08:27.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:27.10,0:08:28.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)