Two Thirds of Mankind

Between the Biblical verses Revelation 9:15 and 9:18 - we can expect the world to die back to a more manageable one third of it's current population.

But in this "culling of the herd" - who will live?

Old people are being kept alive by more and more advanced drug programs and medical practices.
What would have killed the elderly a few generations ago, now can be treated with the next new creation from any one of the many pharmaceutical firms.
There was once a time; when someone could no longer produce - they were just set adrift on a barge to be received by the gods of the next life.
While this practice seems harsh - it eliminated the need for a social security program.
It kept the resources (money, food, shelter and clothing) flowing to those who could actually utilized them.
It kept the jobs for those who could still do them.
It kept the population at a more manageable level.

The poor are being paid to stay poor.
Forty thousand dollars annually in benefits (housing, medi-care, food stamps, other programs) to a non-working under-educated person vs. about ten thousand dollars annually (before taxes) in wages for a person making seven dollars an hour.
Which model makes more short term sense?
Poverty used to be so uncomfortable that the poor would hope to die to a better life in Heaven.
Or they would work in order to escape it.
These days - poverty seems like a favorable option.
Poverty in America is subsidized to the point of offering a
"retirement" plan.

The "Retirement Plan" (Jail/Prison) is so entrenched in our economy that we couldn't use all of the labor available if we ever decided to release all of non-violent offenders.
Q; What would America do with twice as many free males of color?
A; It doesn't know. Prison is just a storage area for these people.

Disease effects the poor and minorities worse.
Why? Genetics?
Or experimentation in an effort to cut back on some the overpopulation?

Dumb people used to die from accidents.
We now regulate to the point of keeping the foolish around a bit longer.
Let dumb people; do Heroin, not wear helmets or seat belts, or engage in unsafe sex.
The dumb will die off,
As will the old,
As will the sick,
As will the poor.

Maybe we're just going through a cyclical culling of the human herd.
Maybe the Earth is just making a correction of the arrogance of mankind.
Maybe the past ten years were just an anomaly - and we were never meant to have the poor, dumb, elderly and ill live so long.