Sta Hungry Stay Foolish

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

A blog by Leon Oudejans

Intolerance and urbanisation

18 September 2019

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The recent French verdict on rooster Maurice (my blog) shows the growing intolerance amongst humans following reduced personal space due to ongoing urbanisation. Various countries now have political parties advocating animal rights (Wiki list). In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, these human rights are not about overcrowdedness following an ever-increasing global population.

The benefits of urbanisation are clear: mega-cities are economic powerhouses similar to the ancient Hanseatic League. Ancient disadvantages of large cities have largely been solved: no more wooden houses, improved healthcare and sanitation preventing epidemics, improved waste management, improved logistics and transport, etcetera.

Water management in megacities is however still an issue, like in the Indonesian capital Jakarta . Guardian-2019: “Poor urban planning on land that was originally swamp, along with the unregulated draining of aquifers, has left 40% of the city under sea level. The worst affected neighbourhoods are reportedly sinking 10-20cm per year – one of the fastest rates in the world.”

The modern dangers of urbanisation are mostly still of an academic and a professional nature, like the mental health of urban citizens following the 24/7 presence of artificial light and noise, and air pollution. Please see my blogs on urbanisation, in particular my 2016 blog Urbanisation (2) – mental health, and the 2016 Psychology Today article The Urbanization-Mental Health Connection.

I think, feel and believe that ongoing urbanisation is accountable and responsible for the growing intolerance and violence in human societies. Such intolerance and violence can also be viewed in battery cages, “a housing system used for various animal production methods, but primarily for egg-laying hens”. A lack of personal space will first cause intolerance and then violence.

Urbanisation seems unstoppable. A 2014 UN report stated and predicted:

“Globally, more people live in urban areas than in rural areas, with 54 per cent of the world’s population residing in urban areas in 2014. In 1950, 30 per cent of the world’s population was urban, and by 2050, 66 per cent of the world’s population is projected to be urban.” (eg, FT-2015UN-2014). 

Most of that 66% of the world population will live in mega-cities with more than 10 million citizens. The battery cage comparison is a thought that becomes less and less farfetched. In 2035, Amsterdam is expected to reach one (1) million people (eg, CBSNU). I suppose the entire Netherlands will then be viewed as a megacity of at least 18 million people.

“Tolerance of intolerance enables oppression.” A quote by DaShanne Stokes (b. 1978), an American “author, sociologist, public speaker and pundit”.

Intolerant (2014) by Ylvis

artists, lyrics, video, Wiki-1, Wiki-2

Note: all markings (bolditalicunderlining) by LO unless stated otherwise

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