Special Report: Seeking a New World : On People : Tensions Mount in a Crowding World

Shimon Peres, former Israeli prime minister: ‘I am really ashamed of our time. I think we behaved like primitive people. We are killing, shooting, fighting and ignoring what is great, which is science and learning and self-expression and the arts.’

Tasheen Basher, former Egyptian envoy to the United Nations: ‘United Europe does not seem to be a new United States. It has dangerous lines of becoming fortress Europe which rejects non-European, non-white, pooere people.’

Paul Erlich, U.S. biologist and author of “The Population Explosion”: ‘Do you know how long it would take to occupy all the planets is they were all completely as inhabitable as Earth? About 200 years at current birthrates. Then every planet would be as full. Mars buys you only about 30 years.’

Brent Scowcroft, U.S. national security advisor: ‘I don’t think it’s in anybody’s interest to see. . .xenophobic nationalism reasserting itself. I think national pride in one’s heritage and ancestry is fine, but the kinds of things we’re seeing in some places is dangerous.’