I don't think I'm being extremely optimistic. We're figuring out how to capture carbon at high rates, we're figuring out safe fission reactors, we're realizing that plastic and many of its uses are bad for the environment, we're about to be a multi-planetary species. There are still lots of problems but it's not like they can't be overcome.

>I'm also rather uncertain how your 'caged bear button' example is relevant here. The only dangerous bear I can see in this context is the overuse of resources. In which case the example seems to be advocating that the best course of action is to expose people to the danger by default, unless people take constant action to keep the danger contained. I'm not sure how this argument is supposed to attack the "keep populations controlled" line of thought.

The dangerous bear in this case is our reproductive capabilities declining. A human that is prevented from coming into existence when it would normally be able to is the same as removing an existing one.

We will solve it, we just need to start and provide incentives for it.