--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's terrible to have to say this. World…" description: "\"It's terrible to have to say this. World population must be stabilized and to do that we must eliminate 350,000 people per day. This is so horrible to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c9/jacques-yves-cousteau-9353_climate-change_it-s-terrible-to-have-to-say-this-world_2527842.jpg" --- # It's terrible to have to say this. World population must… ![“It's terrible to have to say this. World population must be stabilized and to do that we must eliminate 350,000 people per day. This is so horrible to contemplate that we shouldn't even say it. But the general situation in which we are involved is lamentable.” quote by Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c9/jacques-yves-cousteau-9353_climate-change_it-s-terrible-to-have-to-say-this-world_2527842.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c9/jacques-yves-cousteau-9353_climate-change_it-s-terrible-to-have-to-say-this-world_2527842.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c9/jacques-yves-cousteau-9353_climate-change_it-s-terrible-to-have-to-say-this-world_2527842.jpg) > “It's terrible to have to say this. World population must be stabilized and to do that we must eliminate 350,000 people per day. This is so horrible to contemplate that we shouldn't even say it. But the general situation in which we are involved is lamentable.” [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that drastic population reduction is necessary for planetary stability, but acknowledges the moral horror of such a proposal. **In simple terms:** Population must be cut dramatically, though it feels terrible. Key Takeaway Consider ethical, humane ways to address overpopulation. Themes environment ethics population sustainability morality Mood concerned urgent Type critical ethical When to use this quote - government policy - education campaigns - family planning - technology innovation Key Concepts carrying capacity resource scarcity policy human rights Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives exist to reduce impact? - How can societies balance survival and morality? A Different Perspective Implementing extreme measures raises profound ethical dilemmas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [000 People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/000-people-296006/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Contemplating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemplating/) [Day Horrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-horrible-1132496/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Horrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horrible/) [Involved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involved/) [Overpopulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overpopulation/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population/) [Population Stabilized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population-stabilized-1315436/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [This world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-population/) ## Related quotes > [Overconsumption and overpopulation underlie every environmental problem we face today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/overconsumption-and-overpopulation-underlie-every-environmental/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [We must alert and organise the world's people to pressure world leaders to take specific steps to solve the two root causes of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/we-must-alert-and-organise-the-world-s-people-to-pressure-world/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [I usually do drive-by insults, and keep moving until I realize the next day how horrible I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-cohen/i-usually-do-drive-by-insults-and-keep-moving-until-i-realize-the/) [Andy Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-cohen/) > [Oh, well...up until now it had been a good day, in a horrible kind of way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/oh-well-up-until-now-it-had-been-a-good-day-in-a-horrible-kind-of-way/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [We have been God-like in our planned breeding of our domesticated plants and animals, but we have been rabbit-like in our unplanned breeding of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-j-toynbee/we-have-been-god-like-in-our-planned-breeding-of-our-domesticated/) [Arnold J. Toynbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-j-toynbee/) > [Democracy cannot survive overpopulation. Human dignity cannot survive it. Convenience and decency cannot survive it. As you put more and more people into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/democracy-cannot-survive-overpopulation-human-dignity-cannot-survive-2/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [In the event that I am reincarnated, I would like to return as a deadly virus, in order to contribute something to solve overpopulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-philip/in-the-event-that-i-am-reincarnated-i-would-like-to-return-as-a/) [Prince Philip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-philip/) > ['Smart growth' destroys the environment. 'Dumb growth' destroys the environment. The only difference is that 'smart growth' does it with good taste. It's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-allen-bartlett/smart-growth-destroys-the-environment-dumb-growth-destroys-the/) [Albert Allen Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-allen-bartlett/) > [To bring about destruction by overcrowding, mass starvation, anarchy, the destruction of our most cherished values, there is no need to do anything. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/to-bring-about-destruction-by-overcrowding-mass-starvation-anarchy/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [We must speak more clearly about sexuality, contraception, about abortion, about values that control population, because the ecological crisis, in short, is the population…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-gorbachev/we-must-speak-more-clearly-about-sexuality-contraception-about/) [Mikhail Gorbachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-gorbachev/) > [In the last 200 years the population of our planet has grown exponentially, at a rate of 1.9% per year. If it continued at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/in-the-last-200-years-the-population-of-our-planet-has-grown/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Can you think of any problem, in any area of human endeavour, on any scale, from microscopic to global, whose long-term solution is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-allen-bartlett/can-you-think-of-any-problem-in-any-area-of-human-endeavour-on-any/) [Albert Allen Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-allen-bartlett/) > [The biggest obstacle was mixing abortion with overpopulation. These are two things that have nothing to do with each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/the-biggest-obstacle-was-mixing-abortion-with-overpopulation-these/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [Population growth is the primary source of environmental damage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/population-growth-is-the-primary-source-of-environmental-damage/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [Our society is turning toward more and more needless consumption. It is a vicious circle that I compare to cancer . . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/our-society-is-turning-toward-more-and-more-needless-consumption-it/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) ## More by Jacques Yves Cousteau > [With earth's burgeoning human population to feed we must turn to the sea with understanding and new technology. We need to farm it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/with-earth-s-burgeoning-human-population-to-feed-we-must-turn-to-the/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [We must go and see for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/we-must-go-and-see-for-ourselves/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [We are human beings, and we have faith, and we have hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/we-are-human-beings-and-we-have-faith-and-we-have-hope/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [And let us remember too that life, in its exuberance, always succeeds in overflowing the narrow limits within which man thinks he can confine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/and-let-us-remember-too-that-life-in-its-exuberance-always-succeeds/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [I experimented with all possible maneuvers-loops, somersaults and barrel rolls. I stood upside down on one finger and burst out laughing, a shrill, distorted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/i-experimented-with-all-possible-maneuvers-loops-somersaults-and/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [It is certain that the study of human psychology, if it were undertaken exclusively in prisons, would also lead to misrepresentation and absurd generalizations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/it-is-certain-that-the-study-of-human-psychology-if-it-were/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [However fragmented the world, however intense the national rivalries, it is an inexorable fact that we become more interdependent every day. I believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/however-fragmented-the-world-however-intense-the-national-rivalries/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [If we go on the way we have, the fault is our greed and if we are not willing to change, we will disappear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/if-we-go-on-the-way-we-have-the-fault-is-our-greed-and-if-we-are-not/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [The reason I love the sea I cannot explain - it's physical. When you dive you begin to feel like an angel. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/the-reason-i-love-the-sea-i-cannot-explain-it-s-physical-when-you/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [If human civilization is going to invade the waters of the earth, then let it be first of all to carry a message of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/if-human-civilization-is-going-to-invade-the-waters-of-the-earth-then/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [No sooner does man discover intelligence than he tries to involve it in his own stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/no-sooner-does-man-discover-intelligence-than-he-tries-to-involve-it-2/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [The impossible missions are the only ones which succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/the-impossible-missions-are-the-only-ones-which-succeed/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [The sea, the great unifier, is man's only hope. Now, as never before, the old phrase has a literal meaning: we are all in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/the-sea-the-great-unifier-is-man-s-only-hope-now-as-never-before-the/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [We must alert and organise the world's people to pressure world leaders to take specific steps to solve the two root causes of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/we-must-alert-and-organise-the-world-s-people-to-pressure-world/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [We must plant the sea and herd its animals using the sea as farmers instead of hunters. That is what civilization is all about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/we-must-plant-the-sea-and-herd-its-animals-using-the-sea-as-farmers/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) [Explore all 73 Jacques Yves Cousteau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) ## More Climate change quotes > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [There are many more traits that the climate deniers share with the creationists and Holocaust deniers and others who distort the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-r-prothero/there-are-many-more-traits-that-the-climate-deniers-share-with-the/) [Donald R. 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We believe in saving the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/most-americans-believe-in-fairness-we-believe-that-people-should-work/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [21st-century foreign policy is going to be built on countries that can tackle transnational challenges together. Climate change and public health are the top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/21st-century-foreign-policy-is-going-to-be-built-on-countries-that/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [You'd be forgiven for thinking that climate change means we'll have to sacrifice our creature comforts. 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