See one of my last posts on the subject that Atkins and I've been
hashing over.
> Does anyone out there believe that nature fights back when populations
> become too large for the planet? AIDS?
Its not really `nature' fighting back, its just what happens. When
rat populations become crowded, infections rise, of all kinds,
homosexuality increases, various protective measures occur to keep the
population in a state where not all the resources are consumed to
continue futile growth. Sometimes this isn't enough and the entire
colony dies anyway. Sometimes populations fall and, once fallen,
infection returns to its previous level and more of the cultural
energy is turned back to reproduction.
There are several studies involving rats which follow the above
scenario. Check out the research.
> But it doesn't damage you in any way.
How do you know? The pain, itself, isn't too nice. Whether I'm
losing virtual Hit Points on my virtual persona or the damage is
transmitted directly back to my `real body,' I've still `taken
damage,' reduced my enjoyment or whatnot.