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Culture War Roundup for the week of September 5, 2022

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I encourage all young people to have at least 4-5 children. Having only 1-2 children is selfish and insufficient, failing to even replace the parents once the likelihood of a premature death, failure to find a mate, or the likelihood of taking an unsuitable mate (e.g., with incompatible sex organs) is taken under consideration. For this reason, 3 children should be considered the bare minimum for anyone with an interest in continuing society.

4 children is where the greater benefits of family begin to manifest in creating a sense of community, especially as the children age and create grandchildren. Being raised with many aunts, uncles, and cousins creates a lifelong sense of belonging. Children will smaller families sense the absence of their extended families yet do not know that of which they are being deprived. Many parents selfishly have only 1 or 2 children, not wanting to take on the challenges of larger families. They deprive themselves, their children, and their grandchildren of the benefits of a greater family community, and for what? To preserve their free time so they may pursue degenerate hobbies? To preserve their material wealth, which does nothing to nourish their souls?

They deprive themselves, their children, and their grandchildren of the benefits of a greater family community, and for what? To preserve their free time so they may pursue degenerate hobbies?

First, there're other ways to have a greater family community: I know a family who lives close to their cousins and has a good community with them, despite their being only two siblings.

Second, do you claim that all hobbies are degenerate? If not, can you substantiate the claim that most parents of <4 children are specifically pursuing degenerate hobbies?

(Third, before we think about having children, perhaps the dating market needs fixing. But yeah, that's another topic, however personal it might feel to me.)

Dude there are 8 billion people on a planet that can maybe support 2 billion long term. What are you even on about?

What makes you think that the planet can support only 2 billion long term? "Carrying capacity" is just a function of available technology. We can support much more than few centuries ago already. Long term ecological strain, global warming and so on are likewise, merely problems of engineering.

I agree for the most part. But at our current level of tech, things are seriously fucked up. Have you tried fishing? Nothing like it used to be.

Yeah, agree with that - but just in a practical sense - whatever there is good about having two children, you get twice that for four - more human experience! Plus, an increased chance of getting a good genetic diceroll.

As someone from a huge family, I think 4 is probably the sweet spot and 5 is probably great if you have the resources for it. 6 or more though, and the children can become ungovernable and the sheer space requirements are very large. If your older children were sufficiently conscientious, it may not be as bad.

How is that working out in Bangladesh?

Bangladesh is currently sub-replacement fertility.

Bangladesh< Strike /Nigeria. Regardless Bangladesh would be a lot better of with about 1/10th the people.

May I ask how long you would enjoy living in a society where year on year the economic decline from population loss is a net negative?

Would you be willing to support depopulation policies if you were informed 20 years from now it would see your income halve?

I ask this as a hypothetical ofcourse but I would be interested in your final response.

when populations decline incomes increase! More resources per person are available.

It was definitely true after the plague, but I'm not as certain it will remain true in societies with upside down population pyramids.

It is true of all societies. Fewer people = more resources per person. Once the oldies die off anyhow.