Democracy cannot survive overpopulation.
Interpretation
Overpopulation threatens the stability and function of democratic societies.
Isaac Asimov's quote highlights the critical relationship between population dynamics and the viability of democracy. When a population grows beyond sustainable limits, it can lead to resource scarcity, social unrest, and a breakdown of democratic processes, thus conforming to the idea that democracy relies on a balance between population size and available resources.
In practice
During a debate on sustainable development, one might quote Asimov to emphasize the need for population control measures.
Democracy cannot survive overpopulation. Human dignity cannot survive it. Convenience and decency cannot survive it. As you put more and more people into the world, the value of life not only declines, but it disappears. It doesn't matter if someone dies.
Science does not promise absolute truth, nor does it consider that such a thing necessarily exists. Science does not even promise that everything in the Universe is amenable to the scientific process.
Although the time of death is approaching me, I am not afraid of dying and going to Hell or (what would be considerably worse) going to the popularized version of Heaven. I expect death to be nothingness and, for removing me from all possible fears of death, I am thankful to atheism.
A subtle thought that is in error may yet give rise to fruitful inquiry that can establish truths of great value.
During the century after Newton, it was still possible for a man of unusual attainments to master all fields of scientific knowledge. But by 1800, this had become entirely impracticable.
To bring about destruction by overcrowding, mass starvation, anarchy, the destruction of our most cherished values, there is no need to do anything. We need only do nothing except what comes naturally, and breed. And how easy it is to do nothing
The words kept coming back to him, statement of a mystical truth and a palpable absurdity.
No man is above the law, and no man is below it.
The aim of life is to be fully born, though its tragedy is that most of us die before we are thus born.
So a voice in the mountain is enough to let loose an avalanche. A word too much may be followed by a caving in. If the word had not been spoken, it would not have happened.
People need to be fed, medicated, educated, clothed, and sheltered, and if we're compassionate we'll help them, but you get no moral credit for forcing other people to do what you think is right. There is great joy in helping people, but no joy in doing it at gunpoint.
If our goal is to understand the world, to seek a deeper understanding of the world, our general lack of moral diversity here is going to make it harder. Because when people all share values, when people all share morals, they become a team.
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