I think overpopulation, corruption, inequality and climate change are all interconnected. Every once in a while a friend tells me they don’t want kids because they don’t want to contribute to overpopulation. They believe that their decision will save the world. I think their mindset in large part is not the solution to the problem. Overpopulation affects reproductive decisions all over the world. If we can use design thinking to tackle this wicked problem, we can challenge the assumptions contributing to the myths and offer real solutions. 

There are two sides of the spectrum, government and human rights. In India, women in poverty are given blenders and other kitchen products as an incentive for sterilization. In the 1970’s women in poverty were forced into sterilization to control overpopulation https://www.retroreport.org/video/the-population-bomb/">(The Population Bomb). 

With the latest law in Texas prohibiting abortions after 6 weeks, anyone can sue a facility that performs the abortion and receive $10,000, making it difficult for women in poverty to have control of their own reproduction rights. Women that can afford to leave the state or cover the fine have an advantage. 

China’s one child policy in the 70’s and 80’s decreased the population by 400 million and increased the average income per family (https://www.britannica.com/story/the-effects-of-chinas-one-child-policy">Effects of China’s One Child Policy). A significant fine goes to the government if the law is broken, making it impossible for women in poverty to have more than one child. The Chinese government implemented the 1.5 child law, where if a family has a daughter, families can try for a boy. Over the years the policies have relaxed, historically though, this is also degrading to young girls and women. 

What these examples have in common is that by controlling reproductive rights, governments think they can solve problems. There needs to be a paradigm shift in order to find a viable solution to society’s problems. 

2. What is one design action that could be taken, on an individual level, to create a disruption in the chronic “wickedness” of the problem? Design actions could be using communication, designing a system, designing a user experience app, etc.

I think we should utilize design thinking methods and come up with a plan for adding people in this world, just as families need to plan when welcoming a new child. Taking control of reproductive rights from the least fortunate is unfair. By designing a system or plan we can figure out the real problem and test solutions. The fact that it hasn’t been done by some governments is skeptical and could reveal more than they wish to share. One hypothesis is whether a solution for poverty could assist in overpopulation and whether plan A, B or C would be viable solutions. 

All 7 of the wicked problems are interconnected. If we’re able to look at this holistically, we can create real impactful long term solutions, rather than these short term baseless actions that decrease human rights. For instance, by uncovering the population's real problem we could address corruption that affects climate change. Those are three wicked problems that could have a positive impact on a global scale. Women in poverty could do what they are naturally born to do, become a mother. And climate advocates can make decisions based on real solutions rather than a myth. 

At a UN Council Ambassador event in 1994, David Rockefeller said, “Ironically, however, the very innovations that are making possible dramatic improvements in human well-being are also creating new problems, which raises specter of an alarming and possibly catastrophic disaster to the biosphere we live in.” Innovative public health solutions decreased infant mortality rates by 60% and increased human life spans, thus contributing to overpopulation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlL0iS2RqDM">(David Rockefeller UN 1994-09-14). Innovations that are human-centric are made to add value to life, not destroy the world. I thought this quote was ludicrous.