Happiness and Population make no sense.

[Nero Armis]

So what I don't get is the need for negatives that is just "population" I actually find it annoying that it reduces happiness.. Isn't that counter productive to the whole " we are here to make a settlement" thing. Of course you want more and more people. So I don't understand why villagers get upset about population.. They get unhappy about it.
I understand it being crowded when there is not enough houses or something but that isn't the issue its just that apparently having more people to help the settlement is considered a bad thing?

I understand from a game perspective they added it in so you always have to try and manage happiness... But from a logical point it makes no sense. If they obviously don't want to live in a village with a high population for high amount of success then get the ♥♥♥♥ out and we will find some villagers who would be more than happy to have a safe home?

Again game perspective I understand why it is there but when you see why people are unhappy and it just literally says " population" I really just wish they would toughen the hell up and enjoy what I am making for them. They are viking for christ sakes.

[kmccmk9]

I don't understand the -19 Population. What does this negativity even mean? I have positive everything else, but I'm always dragged into the negatives by this -19 Population. And I can't find anything on any Wiki about it.

[badfluffy]

Yeah it's because you consider your population only as means to an end: the success of your colony. Happens to every ruler so you shouldn't feel bad about it :P

But seriously, who wouldn't like to live in cramped quarters and to have to sleep in shifts so they can sleep under a roof on a bed instead of outside on the floor? It toughens you up!

[Maddam]

See it like having possibilities to have fun activities. A bar with beer is nice, but if everybody wants to drink from the single brewer, it doesn't work out. Everybody needs to have something to have fun, so the need for activities raises with more people.

[ArcticCheetah]

I see this mechanic as every pop has a happiness upkeep/demand, the negative population value is just a simplified way to tell you how much total happiness is being consumed and with each new pop adds another point of happiness needed. The game wont tell you what exactly makes them happy because for the purpose and focus of the gameplay it is irrelevant.