Most American children graduate from high school thinking that the world is overpopulated and that the socially responsible thing to do is not to have children. Not the students at the Donahue Academy in Ave Maria, Florida, however.
The teachers at this Catholic academy in Southwest Florida have put together an interdisciplinary program that exposes the too-many-people myth for the fraud that it is. The program begins with Thomas Malthus, the original population bomber, and ends by talking about the dangers of population control, where governments get the final say in fertility decisions and parents’ opinions on how many children they want is deemed unnecessary.
Kicking off the module is the Academy’s statistics teacher, who has her students look at linear and exponential models to understand the flaws in Malthus’ modeling. Of course, in his theory, Thomas Malthus assumed that food growth would increase linearly, while population growth would grow exponentially. He concluded that human reproduction would quickly outpace food production, and that massive famines would follow. He failed to account for human productivity and innovation at all.
From there the baton is passed to the Humanities teacher, who reveals that Malthus was so worried about overpopulation that he was in favor of encouraging plagues and famine to keep the population down. He then goes on to trace the anti-human attitudes down through history, showing how they gave rise to activists like Margaret Sanger and other proponents of eugenics and even genocide. More children from the fit, fewer children from the unfit. That sort of thinking.
The Theology teacher takes it from there, assigning her high school juniors to read Humanae Vitae, which warns about the dangers of governments getting involved in the private decisions of couples on whether or not to have children. They discuss in-depth the efforts the Catholic Church has made to combat the population control movement.
At the same time, the junior Science teacher helps his students examine the negative consequences that come from blindly following not just Thomas Malthus, but also Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. The students look at how these thinkers gave rise to a mindset that sees humans as disposable, which in turn contributes to pressing bioethical issues, from abortion to euthanasia. From this knowledge, they become equipped to not just reject, but argue against, the kinds of abuses that emerge from a callous disregard for the gift of life.
The high school instructors at Donahue Academy are all steadfast Catholics who share not only a common faith but a common goal: They are determined that their students will not fall prey to the Malthusian mindset. They are dedicated to preparing young Catholics for a future of living in the faith and protecting the truth.
As a capstone to this program, Theology Instructor Brady Beckerman invited PRI President Steven Mosher to give a presentation on his work, and the work of the Population Research Institute, has contributed to the ongoing battle against the population controllers and their falsehoods.
The domino effect of overpopulation, initially tipped by Malthus, still fuels the push for contraception, abortion, and euthanasia around the world today. We at PRI actively work against these forces to expose them, cut their funding, and protect vulnerable populations.
By alternating our POP 101 videos with Q & A, Mr. Mosher was able to reach the younger members of Generation Z in a meaningful way. His knowledge sparked questions and observations from the students. He even had the whole class laughing at a few of his applicable anecdotes. Guided by Mr. Mosher, these teenagers began thinking through the narrative they’ve been told by society and how it falls apart in the light of truth.
It may seem like a small thing to teach one high school class the truth about overpopulation. But they are the seed of a movement to educate the youth on one of the most pressing issues we face today. PRI hopes to work with Donahue Academy to develop a teaching module, debunking the myth of overpopulation, that can be used by other Catholic, classical, and charter schools across the nation.
For the most part, Generation Z simply doesn’t know the history of the anti-natal movement, though they live with the consequences of it every single day.
On a personal note, I am a member of this generation. But I often forget this for two reasons. First, I grew up with seven older siblings, most of whom are millennials, so I feel more like a millennial when it comes to my tastes. Second, and more importantly, I am more informed than most of my generation on one of the most pressing issues the world faces today: depopulation.
The population decline that is happening in every industrialized country in the world is the direct result of the movement that started with Thomas Malthus. It’s a movement that has masqueraded behind different names and slogans over the decades.
Many, if not most members, of Gen. Z have been convinced by fear-mongering tactics not to have children in order to “Save the Planet.” Many have fallen for the lie that it’s better to kill unborn children that weren’t “planned” or aren’t “perfect.” Many have subscribed to the idea that the elderly (or disabled) are better off dead if they don’t have a good “quality of life.”
Few in my generation see through the lies of the anti-natal movement. In fact, most of them have fallen for it. While it frustrates me to watch my generation be hurt by this mythical narrative, I can understand how it happens. It’s a narrative they’ve been fed since they started school.
The power of a narrative so entrenched, as the overpopulation myth is, cannot be underestimated.
- If you didn’t know where this all started, what would make you question it?
- If you didn’t know about the billions of dollars funneled by elites into this movement, why would you be suspicious?
- If you’d never been told that humans have inherent, God-given dignity and worth, why would you fight it?
The educational system failed my generation (and a couple of generations prior) when it came to this part of history. I am only aware of these issues and fighting them because I came from a family that it totally dedicated to fighting for the pro-life cause. Not everyone is so lucky.
Donahue Academy is making a difference with their program. And we at PRI are determined to build on its success by working to develop and promote a teaching module that can be used across the United States.
The students at Donahue, along with those we will be reaching in years to come, will themselves go on to share these truths with others. Even better, those who are called to married life will go on to be blessed with many children.
Of course, the best way to counter the Malthusian lie, and depopulation in general, is to have a large family with many children. Children are the solution, not the problem. Children are our path to the future.
