Changes

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68:6.1 [[Man]] is a [[creature]] of the [[soil]], a child of [[nature]]; no matter how [[earnestly]] he may try to [[escape]] from the [[land]], in the last reckoning he is certain to fail. "Dust you are and to dust shall you return"[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/] is [[literally]] true of all [[mankind]]. The basic [[struggle]] of man was, and is, and ever shall be, for [[land]]. The first [[social]] [[associations]] of [[primitive]] [[human being]]s were for the [[purpose]] of winning these [[land]] struggles. The [[land]]-[[man]] [[ratio]] underlies all [[social]] [[civilization]].

68:6.1 [[Man]] is a [[creature]] of the [[soil]], a child of [[nature]]; no matter how [[earnestly]] he may try to [[escape]] from the [[land]], in the last reckoning he is certain to fail. "Dust you are and to dust shall you return"[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/] is [[literally]] true of all [[mankind]]. The basic [[struggle]] of man was, and is, and ever shall be, for [[land]]. The first [[social]] [[associations]] of [[primitive]] [[human being]]s were for the [[purpose]] of winning these [[land]] struggles. The [[land]]-[[man]] [[ratio]] underlies all [[social]] [[civilization]].

68:6.2 Man's [[intelligence]], by means of [[the arts]] and [[sciences]], increased the [[land]] yield; at the same time the [[natural]] increase in [[offspring]] was somewhat brought under [[control]], and thus was provided the sustenance and [[leisure]] to build a [[cultural]] [[civilization]].

68:6.2 Man's [[intelligence]], by means of [[the arts]] and [[sciences]], increased the [[land]] yield; at the same time the [[natural]] increase in [[offspring]] was somewhat brought under [[control]], and thus was provided the sustenance and [[leisure]] to build a [[cultural]] [[civilization]].

68:6.4 When the [[land]] yield is reduced or the [[population]] is increased, the [[inevitable]] [[struggle]] is renewed; the very worst traits of [[human]] [[nature]] are brought to the [[surface]]. The improvement of the [[land]] yield, the extension of the [[mechanical]] arts, and the reduction of [[population]] all tend to foster the [[development]] of the better side of [[human]] [[nature]].

68:6.4 When the [[land]] yield is reduced or the [[population]] is increased, the [[inevitable]] [[struggle]] is renewed; the very worst traits of [[human]] [[nature]] are brought to the [[surface]]. The improvement of the [[land]] yield, the extension of the [[mechanical]] arts, and the reduction of [[population]] all tend to foster the [[development]] of the better side of [[human]] [[nature]].

68:6.5 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontier Frontier] [[society]] [[develops]] the unskilled side of [[humanity]]; the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fine_arts fine art]s and true [[scientific]] [[progress]], [[together]] with [[spiritual]] [[culture]], have all thrived best in the larger [[centers]] of life when [[supported]] by an [[agricultural]] and industrial [[population]] slightly under the land-man ratio. [[Cities]] always multiply the [[power]] of their [[inhabitants]] for either [[good]] or [[evil]].

68:6.5 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontier Frontier] [[society]] [[develops]] the unskilled side of [[humanity]]; the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fine_arts fine art]s and true [[scientific]] [[progress]], [[together]] with [[spiritual]] [[culture]], have all thrived best in the larger [[centers]] of life when [[supported]] by an [[agricultural]] and industrial [[population]] slightly under the land-man ratio. [[Cities]] always multiply the [[power]] of their [[inhabitants]] for either [[good]] or [[evil]].

68:6.6 The size of the [[family]] has always been [[influenced]] by the [[standards]] of living. The higher the standard the smaller the [[family]], up to the point of [[established]] [[status]] or [[gradual]] [[extinction]].

68:6.6 The size of the [[family]] has always been [[influenced]] by the [[standards]] of living. The higher the standard the smaller the [[family]], up to the point of [[established]] [[status]] or [[gradual]] [[extinction]].

68:6.7 All down through the ages the standards of living have [[determined]] the [[quality]] of a [[surviving]] [[population]] in [[contrast]] with mere [[quantity]]. Local class standards of living give [[origin]] to new [[social]] [[castes]], new [[mores]]. When standards of living become too [[complicated]] or too highly [[luxurious]], they speedily become [[suicidal]]. [[Caste]] is the direct result of the high [[social]] [[pressure]] of keen [[competition]] produced by dense [[populations]].

68:6.7 All down through the ages the standards of living have [[determined]] the [[quality]] of a [[surviving]] [[population]] in [[contrast]] with mere [[quantity]]. Local class standards of living give [[origin]] to new [[social]] [[castes]], new [[mores]]. When standards of living become too [[complicated]] or too highly [[luxurious]], they speedily become [[suicidal]]. [[Caste]] is the direct result of the high [[social]] [[pressure]] of keen [[competition]] produced by dense [[populations]].

68:6.8 The early races often resorted to [[practices]] designed to restrict [[population]]; all [[primitive]] [[tribes]] killed deformed and sickly [[children]]. Girl babies were frequently killed before the times of [[wife]] purchase. [[Children]] were sometimes strangled at [[birth]], but the favorite [[method]] was exposure. The [[father]] of twins usually insisted that one be killed since multiple [[births]] were believed to be caused either by [[magic]] or by infidelity. As a rule, however, twins of the same [[sex]] were spared. While these [[taboos]] on twins were once well-nigh [[universal]], they were never a part of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Andonite] [[mores]]; these peoples always regarded twins as omens of [[good]] [[luck]].

68:6.8 The early races often resorted to [[practices]] designed to restrict [[population]]; all [[primitive]] [[tribes]] killed deformed and sickly [[children]]. Girl babies were frequently killed before the times of [[wife]] purchase. [[Children]] were sometimes strangled at [[birth]], but the favorite [[method]] was exposure. The [[father]] of twins usually insisted that one be killed since multiple [[births]] were believed to be caused either by [[magic]] or by infidelity. As a rule, however, twins of the same [[sex]] were spared. While these [[taboos]] on twins were once well-nigh [[universal]], they were never a part of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Andonite] [[mores]]; these peoples always regarded twins as omens of [[good]] [[luck]].

68:6.9 Many [[races]] learned the [[technique]] of [[abortion]], and this [[practice]] became very common after the [[establishment]] of the [[taboo]] on childbirth among the unmarried. It was long the [[custom]] for a maiden to kill her offspring, but among more civilized [[groups]] these illegitimate [[children]] became the wards of the girl's [[mother]]. Many [[primitive]] [[clans]] were [[virtually]] [[exterminated]] by the [[practice]] of both [[abortion]] and infanticide. But regardless of the dictates of the [[mores]], very few [[children]] were ever destroyed after having once been suckled—[[maternal]] [[affection]] is too strong.

68:6.9 Many [[races]] learned the [[technique]] of [[abortion]], and this [[practice]] became very common after the [[establishment]] of the [[taboo]] on childbirth among the unmarried. It was long the [[custom]] for a maiden to kill her offspring, but among more civilized [[groups]] these illegitimate [[children]] became the wards of the girl's [[mother]]. Many [[primitive]] [[clans]] were [[virtually]] [[exterminated]] by the [[practice]] of both [[abortion]] and infanticide. But regardless of the dictates of the [[mores]], very few [[children]] were ever destroyed after having once been suckled—[[maternal]] [[affection]] is too strong.

68:6.10 Even in the twentieth century there persist remnants of these [[primitive]] [[population]] [[controls]]. There is a [[tribe]] in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia Australia] whose [[mothers]] refuse to rear more than two or three [[children]]. Not long since, one [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannibalism cannibalistic] [[tribe]] ate every fifth child born. In [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madagascar Madagascar] some [[tribes]] still destroy all [[children]] born on certain unlucky days, resulting in the [[death]] of about twenty-five per cent of all babies.

68:6.10 Even in the twentieth century there persist remnants of these [[primitive]] [[population]] [[controls]]. There is a [[tribe]] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia Australia] whose [[mothers]] refuse to rear more than two or three [[children]]. Not long since, one [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannibalism cannibalistic] [[tribe]] ate every fifth child born. In [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madagascar Madagascar] some [[tribes]] still destroy all [[children]] born on certain unlucky days, resulting in the [[death]] of about twenty-five per cent of all babies.

68:6.11 From a world [[standpoint]], overpopulation has never been a serious [[problem]] in the past, but if [[war]] is lessened and [[science]] increasingly [[controls]] [[human]] [[diseases]], it may become a serious [[problem]] in the near [[future]]. At such a time the great test of the [[wisdom]] of world [[leadership]] will present itself. Will [[Urantia]] rulers have the [[insight]] and [[courage]] to foster the multiplication of the [[average]] or [[stabilized]] [[human being]] instead of the extremes of the supernormal and the enormously increasing groups of the subnormal? The [[normal]] man should be fostered; he is the backbone of [[civilization]] and the [[source]] of the [[mutant]] [[geniuses]] of the [[race]]. The subnormal man should be kept under [[society]]'s [[control]]; no more should be produced than are required to [[administer]] the lower levels of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry industry], those tasks requiring [[intelligence]] above the [[animal]] level but making such low-grade demands as to [[prove]] veritable [[slavery]] and bondage for the higher types of [[mankind]].

68:6.11 From a world [[standpoint]], overpopulation has never been a serious [[problem]] in the past, but if [[war]] is lessened and [[science]] increasingly [[controls]] [[human]] [[diseases]], it may become a serious [[problem]] in the near [[future]]. At such a time the great test of the [[wisdom]] of world [[leadership]] will present itself. Will [[Urantia]] rulers have the [[insight]] and [[courage]] to foster the multiplication of the [[average]] or [[stabilized]] [[human being]] instead of the extremes of the supernormal and the enormously increasing groups of the subnormal? The [[normal]] man should be fostered; he is the backbone of [[civilization]] and the [[source]] of the [[mutant]] [[geniuses]] of the [[race]]. The subnormal man should be kept under [[society]]'s [[control]]; no more should be produced than are required to [[administer]] the lower levels of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry industry], those tasks requiring [[intelligence]] above the [[animal]] level but making such low-grade demands as to [[prove]] veritable [[slavery]] and bondage for the higher types of [[mankind]].

68:6.12 Presented by a [[Melchizedek]] sometime stationed on [[Urantia]].

68:6.12 Presented by a [[Melchizedek]] sometime stationed on [[Urantia]].