[FRIAM] nice quote

[Jon Zingale]

Eric,

"Jim Rutt had a podcast with a couple who identify as “pro-natalist”."

The question of pro-natalism is one I struggle to get clarity on. Namely
the version characterized by a "fear that falling birth rates will lead to
the collapse of civilization, economies, or cultures". The conditions for
my concern are summarized by:

0. Certain works of architecture, infrastructure, art and science that only
seem possible (to my naive mind) *because* of empire.
1. A belief that problems at scale are best addressed by agents/agencies
whose scales harmonize with the problem.
2. For some problems of scale that scare me most, I have no idea about
their state or condition. Again showing my painful ignorance, I have no
idea about the state of climate change. Will there be a point at which only
intervention preserves the conditions for life on earth? Are we near or
past such a point?

These vague feelings leave me feeling "locked/bought in" to whatever
horrible pyramid scheme we are all playing out. Under this model, I imagine
myself an npc or a stage extra existing exactly so that our institutions
continue to produce ivory towered geniuses that can persuade those who
wield power to make needed interventions. All the while, green washing oil
executives lobby to prevent me from buying the latest xpeng. On the other
hand, I don't actually feel bought in, per se, exactly because I am an npc
or a fat cell in a lipid bilayer supporting the body so that real organs
can do their jobs. To keep this meandering ramble short, what am I missing
in my thinking above? When I listen to financial television and these
pro-natalist views are stated as if they are true, what could I be doing to
liberate myself from their thinking?

ps. I am kind of surprised by the parallels between Malthusianism and
nuclear energy. By the 1970s, popular opinion expressed a need for
population controls and the threat of nuclear energy. Today, we have the
rising popularity of pro-natalism and the need for nuclear as a green
energy. Yeah, idk?
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