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Comment by falcolas | Hacker News Reader

Sorry, let me expand then. The assertion that is happening in this thread is “having children will improve the world”.

Given this assertion, how is it possible that global warming even happened in the first place, when there were, as you state, bigger birth rates than we have now?

Most of the issues we’re facing today - especially global warming - weren’t caused just yesterday. They’ve been in progress for decades, and we’ve known about the potential issues for decades (I remember such concerns when we started opening holes in the ozone some 30 years ago).

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Indeed, more people means more people to solve problems is ridiculous optimism. We don't have a shortage of people whom could solve these problems, we lack the political will to solve them.

It's not related to the amount of people, people just generally optimize for short term economics, at the expense of everything else, even existence.

Only if you don’t think you have or need something that can be passed politically.

I have a nightmare that the woman smart enough to create sustainable energy is currently an illiterate 14 year old girl being married to someone three times her age.

I see what you mean, and in general agree.

I believe 99% of human potential is wasted. Because the typical human spends every waking moment of their lives just trying to make a living.

So let's die out as humanity?

Sorry, I find your assertion as a sign of depression and helplessness

The argument in your original post:

>So I would say we need more kids in the world if we want to have a better future.

is funny because birth rates are at the lowest they have ever been. So it is brings up the question that if insufficient kids are the problem, then how did we end up in the current world?

There's a name for this fallacy: "Reducto ad absurdum"

A minority of people not wanting to add to the population growth (and being OK with that decision) will never incite the death of humanity.

> So let's die out as humanity?

No, let's start reducing our population to somewhat sustainable levels. We can always start having more children it the future.

Yes, let's escalate slightly less than completely unsustainable exponential population growth as "extinction".

In same manner: "So let's kill other animals instead."

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