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The elderly vastly outnumbering the working population is a symptom of sudden and drastic population count decline and is a different problem even if it is corr

The elderly vastly outnumbering the working population is a symptom of sudden and drastic population count decline and is a different problem even if it is correlated. Biology and evolution by definition is determined by those who reproduce offspring, those who do not will be replaced by those who do. Put another way: Generation B and onwards are the offspring of Generation A who reproduced.

notahacker 2y ago
I mean, sudden and drastic population declines are literally the subject of the thread. Or more specifically, that humans in many parts of the world are reproducing at below replacement rate. Reproduction below replacement rate means that those who do not reproduce offspring are not replaced by the offspring of those who do. Nobody is arguing that Generation B aren't the offspring of those who reproduced, they're arguing that this detail is essentially irrelevant to how many children Generation B will have and therefore birth rate decline need not be "self correcting" and empirically isn't in much of the world.
- Dalewyn 2y ago
  I think you're misunderstanding what "replace" means. Given a long enough time span, everyone alive will be the children of those who reproduced. Generation B will be composed of Generation A reproducers. The world of tomorrow will be owned by those who reproduce today.
542354234235 2y ago
>Biology and evolution by definition is determined by those who reproduce offspring Not true. If my brother reproduces, then about half of my genes are still getting passed on. If my cousin reproduces, 12.5% of my genes are still getting passed on. If the argument is that pure gene selection will determine the outcome, then you can’t treat genetics as some simplistic binary.
- Dalewyn 2y ago
  Your genes aren't your brother's or cousin's and vice versa. Imagine a tree, if you fail (or choose not) to reproduce then your branch will be a dead end. Other branches who did successfully reproduce will continue the tree.

notahacker 2y ago

I mean, sudden and drastic population declines are literally the subject of the thread. Or more specifically, that humans in many parts of the world are reproducing at below replacement rate. Reproduction below replacement rate means that those who do not reproduce offspring are not replaced by the offspring of those who do. Nobody is arguing that Generation B aren't the offspring of those who reproduced, they're arguing that this detail is essentially irrelevant to how many children Generation B will have and therefore birth rate decline need not be "self correcting" and empirically isn't in much of the world.

Dalewyn 2y ago
I think you're misunderstanding what "replace" means. Given a long enough time span, everyone alive will be the children of those who reproduced. Generation B will be composed of Generation A reproducers. The world of tomorrow will be owned by those who reproduce today.

542354234235 2y ago

>Biology and evolution by definition is determined by those who reproduce offspring Not true. If my brother reproduces, then about half of my genes are still getting passed on. If my cousin reproduces, 12.5% of my genes are still getting passed on. If the argument is that pure gene selection will determine the outcome, then you can’t treat genetics as some simplistic binary.

Dalewyn 2y ago
Your genes aren't your brother's or cousin's and vice versa. Imagine a tree, if you fail (or choose not) to reproduce then your branch will be a dead end. Other branches who did successfully reproduce will continue the tree.