I am not convinced that our world needs more human beings.
Neither am I. But, the problems that are, and will be created by falling birth rates and a smaller population overall, are real too. That can’t be denied.
Now, are they unsurmountable? No. Should they be talked about? Yes. Locally, the high/middle school was over built just a few years ago. It’s already clear it’s far bigger than we need now, or are likely to need for many, many, many years - maybe ever. (Our ‘average class’ size has fallen from ~200 to barely 120-30, at best… In just a few years. With no signs of ever improving.)
When does it end, though? How many human beings can this earth support? At what cost of natural resources, flora/fauna, environmental harm?
AI is increasingly taking over jobs that previously required humans. How many humans are actually needed to support current populations? How many of these now-displaced humans will enjoy enough resources to sustain themselves while increasing humanity’s knowledge base, artistic pursuits and general intellectual/emotional enlightenment?
These are not rhetorical questions. I don’t know the answer to these things. It seems to me that increased population for the sake of population growth itself is not correct.
I find this difficult to mourn. Less consciousness, less sentience means less nightmare.
On situations like Japan, there seems to be a trend of income and purchasing power with having children. If people want children, but can’t afford them… They won’t have them.
You can see a higher percentage of wealthy people having children vs a lower percentage of working poor people having children everywhere. The only way to increase childbirths naturally is to make working affordable to support them.
deleted by creator
Paywalled
Replaced link
