Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 32

Thread: Over-crowded rats behave like humans

  1. #1
    Senior Member HappyHiker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Mid Atlantic coast after 30 years in No CA
    Posts
    735

    Over-crowded rats behave like humans

    I remember some class or textbook reading that told us that if you keep crowding rats in a cage, at some point, they begin exhibiting anti-social, violent behavior.

    Got me thinking -- when I was a kid in the 1950's, world population was about 2,556,000,000. World population today is around 7,000,000,000

    Quite a population explosion.

    Our resources and arable land are finite. Climate change is reducing our natural resources.

    There also seems to be sense of futility and hopelessness that our world is on the downslope and things will not improve.

    Have you seen any evidence of humans exhibiting anti-social or violent behavior of late (said with tongue firmly n cheek).

    How much of this, do you suppose, is caused the press of population??
    peaceful, easy feeling

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    9,656
    I don't know how much is caused by population, but 2,556,000,000 was probably much closer to a sustainable population. I've been researching more sustainable eating lately (I'm not going to become a pure vegan, I'm not asking for a sermon on diet, it's just an interest, which I may adopt to somewhat but ..) and sometimes it is argued that we should eat more sustainably so that the world can support 10 billion people. Oh @#$# that is all I have to say to that!!! People need to stop at one kid. 10 billion? I mean how screwed up is that?

    People will say not everywhere is overpopulated, that is true relatively so, however the planet as a whole is overpopulated. But even the places that aren't, urban areas is what the whole world is moving into, global urbanization, and urban areas are getting overpopulated.
    Trees don't grow on money

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    California
    Posts
    1,368
    Teachers see it in the classroom. There is a huge difference between 24 kids and 32 kids in a room. With 24, they have space, with 32, they are in each others' faces all the time. The behavior problems become exponential with overcrowding

  4. #4
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    14,635
    Quote Originally Posted by mschrisgo2 View Post
    Teachers see it in the classroom. There is a huge difference between 24 kids and 32 kids in a room. With 24, they have space, with 32, they are in each others' faces all the time. The behavior problems become exponential with overcrowding
    I went to Catholic school where each classroom, grades 1-8, had 40 kids--5 rows of 8 kids each. But we had nuns, and no behavioral problems.
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
    www.silententry.wordpress.com

  5. #5
    Yppej
    Guest
    In the 1940's Hitler invaded other countries because he said the Germans needed lebensraum, so the 1950's number isn't some ideal.

    At my interview I was asked how I am at working with others in close quarters. There is anti -social but not violent behavior in my workplace. One form it takes is nasty comments not naming someone but clearly referring to them within their earshot. This happened yesterday when our twice demoted, miserable receptionist came over to our area to try to stir up trouble because she feels cooped up and unhappy at her desk.

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    beyond the pale
    Posts
    2,738
    Quote Originally Posted by catherine View Post
    I went to Catholic school where each classroom, grades 1-8, had 40 kids--5 rows of 8 kids each. But we had nuns, and no behavioral problems.
    Same here but even more kids: we had 76 kids in my 5th grade class, and one nun as teacher. However, schools in the 1960s did not accept any children who were disabled or had any special needs either. The nuns ruled with an iron fist and the parents backed them up. But I still look back and wonder how everyone managed.

  7. #7
    Senior Member JaneV2.0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    15,489
    Quote Originally Posted by catherine View Post
    I went to Catholic school where each classroom, grades 1-8, had 40 kids--5 rows of 8 kids each. But we had nuns, and no behavioral problems.
    We regularly had 30-ish kids per class, no nuns, and no behavior problems.
    Funny how time changes things.

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    California
    Posts
    1,368
    There were 53 kids in my class, Catholic school, 1-8. There was absolutely no talking allowed, and no expectation of working in groups, or with a partner. It's the exact opposite today.

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Phoenix
    Posts
    2,777
    The kids were unhappy. It may have been quiet in the classroom but it wasn’t a good environment for children.

  10. #10
    Senior Member JaneV2.0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    15,489
    Quote Originally Posted by Tammy View Post
    The kids were unhappy. It may have been quiet in the classroom but it wasn’t a good environment for children.
    Huh? i never got that impression. We knew the rules, we had regular recesses to let off steam, we were engaged, and we learned quite a bit.
    I'd be unhappy if I were forced to work in groups, as I was in recent (ish) college classes.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •