KARL SAX. Standing Room Only: The Challenge of Overpopulation. Pp. 206. Boston, Mass.: Beacon Press, 1955. $3.00

• Author: Frank H. Hankins
• Published date: 01 March 1956
• Date: 01 March 1956
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/000271625630400144
• Subject Matter: Articles

166
acted to her mother’s pathological and pro-
terseness and impeccable logic, it eschews
longed grieving. Her metamorphosis from
imaginative flights into sociologically un-
psychosis to neurosis via fantasy autopar-
realistic proposals. It restates the facts
turition eventually led her beyond the need
and prospects of population growth, of
for further separation from society.
present and future supplies of foods,
John’s early physical traumata and feed-
minerals, and energy for different world
ing difficulties gave credence to a previous
regions.
opinion that he was retarded and his brain
The basic thesis is that, unless there is
was damaged. His dim prognosis was given
a rather speedy reduction of births, escape
the lie only after years of agonizing work
from mass poverty will be difficult if not
through phases of repulsive appearance and
impossible for two-thirds of the world’s
behavior, when finally he began to enjoy
population. The treatment centers around
his body and accept the pleasure of being
the concept, &dquo;the demographic transition,&dquo;
fed.
or the replacement of high-death-rate high-
Each of the four children suffered from
birth-rate cultures by their opposites, ac-
one form or another of intellectual back-
companied by a change from low to high
wardness or pseudo-retardation which was
living standards. Such a transition has
reversed through treatment. Actually each
taken place in the West; and the author
of the children had latent talents they were
concludes that it &dquo;should be possible in
afraid or unable to manifest earlier. This
Africa and South America, and it might
came through the discovery or recovery of
be possible in Central America with the.
basic trust.
As Paul put it, &dquo;Before, I
aid of a few scientific miracles.
On the
thought I could only get energy and
other hand, the situation in eastern and
strength from food. Now I know I get
southeastern Asia appears to be hopeless&dquo;
energy from children,...