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RE: The Fault of Future Fiction

in #fiction7 years ago

"Population will drop dramatically as our life expectancy will grow more and more."

I suspect that this is mathematically impossible. It certainly is the case that the reverse is what has happened, and while the past may not predict the future, it is the only evidence we have to project the future from.

I wonder why population might be limited, when we are just now preparing to expand the available habitat to other planets?

As for cities, I do not expect cities to no longer present economic benefits. When one wall can form a side to two structures, it makes sense to site those structures so, and this makes cities.

One thing I note about scifi is that it seems to be written by folks that have little practical experience. I cannot remember many characters in scifi carrying knives (except villains using them as weapons), and as phasers can't pry open pill bottles, etc., I cannot envision the lowly pocket knife being omitted from the kit packed by an interstellar explorer.

"The past is history. The future's a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why they call it the present." -Eleanore Roosevelt

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I suspect that this is mathematically impossible. It certainly is the case that the reverse is what has happened
actually you are mistaken.
the birthrate of EVERY 'first world' nation is declining.
A high standard of living is the very best birth control.

"...Population will drop dramatically..."

Despite the dramatic drop in reproductive rate, improved longevity is INCREASING relevant populations.

This is what I meant.

that is no doubt true..
Japan.
getting older...but the kids are having less children.
the population is decreasing.
Same With Eurp...population delcine.
and the Good Old USA...the onliest reason the population has increased is because of peoples coming here from other places.


Given two or three generations of a high standard of living and peepls don't have so many children...if any at all.


Well, perhaps... I can't help but suspect that extant socioeconomic factors are contributing in ineluctable ways to the current decline. Various pressures, like delayed reproduction (extended education and age of consent increasing), economic forces (rising housing and other costs), and population density induced social neuropathology (like lemmings, people get nutty when packed like sardines), all are both strongly exerting negative reproductive influence on affluent populations, and quite temporal, as well as unpredictable.

Feminism, Antifa, and corrupt gummint would make me less prone to passionate breeding.

Hell, Imma become a monk, now.

Edit: I wonder if affluence induced reproductive repression has acted throughout history to weaken empires, making them more vulnerable to barbarian hordes? 0_o

hang on a minit...
I'm looking for a dictionary.