…that I saw nobody address in comments at his post.
The idea “should we be the last generation”? only works on those who follow it. The world is going to belong to the people who actually exist. As Mark Steyn has said:
Experts talk about root causes. But demography is the most basic root of all. A people that won’t multiply can’t go forth or go anywhere. Those who do will shape the age we live in.
Demographic decline and the unsustainability of the social democratic state are closely related. In America, politicians upset about the federal deficit like to complain that we’re piling up debts our children and grandchildren will have to pay off. But in Europe the unaffordable entitlements are in even worse shape: there are no kids or grandkids to stick it to.
You might formulate it like this:
Age + Welfare = Disaster for you;
Youth + Will = Disaster for whoever gets in your way.
If the west takes Singer’s advice they can feel good about themselves in their childless youth, because as they get older they will be ruled and governed by those who had kids and they might not like it.
Jonah is wrong his schtick isn’t getting old, his followers are.
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