--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If some individuals contribute to general…" description: "\"If some individuals contribute to general social deterioration by overproducing children, and if the need is compelling, they can be required by law to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d41/john-holdren-23470_children_if-some-individuals-contribute-to-genera_2399424.jpg" --- # If some individuals contribute to general social… ![“If some individuals contribute to general social deterioration by overproducing children, and if the need is compelling, they can be required by law to exercise reproductive responsibility — just as they can be required to exercise responsibility in their resource-consumption patterns — providing…” quote by John Holdren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d41/john-holdren-23470_children_if-some-individuals-contribute-to-genera_2399424.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d41/john-holdren-23470_children_if-some-individuals-contribute-to-genera_2399424.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d41/john-holdren-23470_children_if-some-individuals-contribute-to-genera_2399424.jpg) > “If some individuals contribute to general social deterioration by overproducing children, and if the need is compelling, they can be required by law to exercise reproductive responsibility — just as they can be required to exercise responsibility in their resource-consumption patterns — providing they are not denied equal protection” [John Holdren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holdren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When population growth harms society, law can require individuals to manage reproduction and consumption responsibly, provided equal protection is upheld. **In simple terms:** Law can enforce responsible reproduction and consumption. Key Takeaway Promote policies that balance personal freedom with societal health. Themes ethics law population environment Mood concerned analytical Type policy ethical When to use this quote - government legislation - family planning - resource management - public health campaigns Key Concepts public policy social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards protect individual freedoms? - How to ensure equitable enforcement? A Different Perspective Balancing rights and enforcement is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-need/) [Compelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compelling/) [Consumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/) [Denied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denied/) [Deterioration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deterioration/) [Equal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal/) [Equal protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-protection/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individuals Contribute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individuals-contribute-4988386/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Overproducing Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overproducing-children-6003627/) [Patterns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patterns/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Providing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/providing/) [Reproductive Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reproductive-responsibility-6003626/) [Resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resources/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) ## Related quotes > [Let only individuals contribute - with sensible limits per election. 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Marriage is a sacred and valued institution and ought to be afforded equal protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/civil-union-is-less-than-marriage-marriage-is-a-sacred-and-valued/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [We must never stop pushing for equal protection under the law in Pennsylvania and across the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fetterman/we-must-never-stop-pushing-for-equal-protection-under-the-law-in/) [John Fetterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fetterman/) > [The legal bias for special protection for women has begun to wreak havoc with the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/the-legal-bias-for-special-protection-for-women-has-begun-to-wreak/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) ## More by John Holdren > [Issues of energy, climate change, nuclear arms control and non-proliferation are all big deals. These are problems that we have to get right globally,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holdren/issues-of-energy-climate-change-nuclear-arms-control-and-non/) [John Holdren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holdren/) > [People are seeing the impact of climate change around them in extraordinary patterns of floods and droughts, wildfires, heatwaves and powerful storms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holdren/people-are-seeing-the-impact-of-climate-change-around-them-in/) [John Holdren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holdren/) > [Any objective look at what science has to say about climate change ought to be sufficient to persuade reasonable people that the climate is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holdren/any-objective-look-at-what-science-has-to-say-about-climate-change/) [John Holdren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holdren/) > [Reliable and affordable energy is essential for meeting basic human needs and fueling economic growth, but many of the most difficult and dangerous environmental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holdren/reliable-and-affordable-energy-is-essential-for-meeting-basic-human/) [John Holdren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holdren/) > [Wildfires are a result of temperature conditions, of soil moisture conditions; and, of course, something has to start it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holdren/wildfires-are-a-result-of-temperature-conditions-of-soil-moisture/) [John Holdren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holdren/) > [The whole climate is changing: the winds, the ocean currents, the storm patterns, snow packs, snowmelt, flooding, droughts. 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They must design a stable, low-consumption economy in which there is a much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holdren/the-need-for-de-development-presents-our-economists-with-a-major/) [John Holdren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holdren/) > [A program of sterilizing women after their second or third child, despite the relatively greater difficulty of the operation than vasectomy, might be easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holdren/a-program-of-sterilizing-women-after-their-second-or-third-child/) [John Holdren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holdren/) > [There exists ample authority under which population growth could be regulated...It has been concluded that compulsory population-control laws, even including laws requiring compulsory abortion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holdren/there-exists-ample-authority-under-which-population-growth-could-be/) [John Holdren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holdren/) > [We are not, of course, optimistic about our chances of success. 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