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Nit: Genocide isn't about numbers. And watching reels isn't dying, at least not in any other sense than an existential one.

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Maybe that's about the wasted human potential that's depressing. Other than that, this analogy only makes sense when framed in terms of some philosophy - i.e. if you are "long-term utilitarian" I don't think it's correct to look at massive consumption of brainrot favorably, even though individual experiences are technically kinda pleasurable.

I think the classic midwit response would be to say that in order to determine if this is negative from a longtermism perspective, we'd first have to prove that:

1. this level of preoccupation is a new and historically significant phenomenon

2. the time not spent on scrolling would be spent on something else more productive

Both seem plausible, but they also seem like a couple of those tricky conclusions that seem naturally right but would fall apart with some research. For example, I think it would be better if we all spent time at cafes instead, but it's hard to say that that would result in better societal outcomes.

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