We should be much more worried about population collapse | Hacker News Reader

We should be much more worried about population collapse

twitter.com

2 pointszpeti11 comments

Au contraire.

Humans should be striving to reach a population level which is sustainable for all of the years of the future.

If that means reducing population levels from the current unsustainable figure, so be it.

If humans don't do it voluntarily, Old Ma Nature will do it for us. No ifs, buts, or maybes.

I have wondered, could this be part or answer to Fermi Paradox? That is advanced civilizations naturally die-off as they don't see anymore need to reproduce over replacement rate as automation will provide them sufficient pension?

Or biological life is just an intermediate step in evolution. The final form is self improving and self replicating silicon AI. We are just the step to achieving that.

Evolution doesn't operate under shonen battle manga rules, it isn't striving towards some perfect "final form."

Hi Elon,

Population collapse is not necessary bad.

The nature will find a proper equilibrium, shake off the metastatic human expansion, heal Earth's surface wounds, digest the plastic.

>The nature will find a proper equilibrium, shake off the metastatic human expansion, heal Earth's surface wounds, digest the plastic.

Nature is not much consolation without humans. If you value it, it's because you're human and have value judgements, not because the cold indiferrent universe puts any value to it. The universe is gonna pull the lights out for the sun, and the planet before that anyway.

In fact, "better without humanity" is the ultimate human sentiment. No animal would be so absurd!

This is a genuine question, I'm not trying to be an asshole or troll you:

How do you get up in the day and do anything? What motivates you? It seems you think humanity would be better off not existing. Why do you exist?

I'd like to understand your state of mind.

If Elon Musk genuinely cares about this (and I don't believe he does), he would argue for a more equal society where people can afford to start having kids at a younger age.

That's not what the numbers say. The richer any society gets, the less children it has. This is true across all cultures and countries.

I believe you're right, but I also stand by my comment. Having kids is unaffordable in much of the US until income is pretty high. People need to have the safety net first, and then we can work on the social issues.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com