I don´t think Sabine Hossenfelder takes the (de)population crisis seriously, per the second video, apparently hoping that birth rates will bounce right back (and right up) in the future...forgetting her own fears of a severe climate crisis for the moment.
Even so, the first video (posted last year) is still quite interesting. It deals with "longtermism", a murky philosophy loosely connected to Elon Musk and Peter Thiel. On the one hand, longtermists believe in perpetual progress, the conquest of the galaxy, and such. For that reason, the current generation must make sacrifices for the benefit of future ones. The main "sacrifice" seems to be having more children.
However, the longtermists also oppose aiding victims of famine and disaster *today*, arguing that future lives are worth billions more. They have a fratricidal relationship to a movement known as Effective Altruism, headed by none other than Peter Singer, which supports such aid. It seems many supporters of longtermism are former fanboys of Singer who switched sides!
Of course, a cabal of elite intellectuals backed by the super-rich who want to sacrifice one billion people (implied in one of the texts quoted in the video) is bound to arise suspicion. Especially if it´s coupled with a vision of a world ruled by technocrats and big capitalists. It seems the futuristic plans of the longtermists have very concrete consequences in the present. I mean, who knew? Presumably the plan is to stop depopulation, while getting rid of "the dead weight" at the same time. Somehow, the longtermists imagine that this will save the (globalist) system. Or is it *their* system, perhaps?
It may or may not be significant that Musk and Thiel both back Trump. But then, Soros and other zillionaires back the Democrats. So there´s that.
Personally, I wouldn´t worry. I mean, what are the chances that any of these factions have any kind of solutions whatsoever, even to *their own* predicament?
Following her thought, I once had a vivid dream wherein Africa became the global saviour, not only due to unexplored natural resources, but for the population finally receiving quality education; somehow I felt that Africa will lead the Green-Save the Planet movement in the following centuries. If models are true, equatorial regions are going to get mighty hot soon!
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