[extropy-chat] Gay marriage in Spain, a world of change

[Brent Neal]

 (7/23/05 12:23) David Lubkin <extropy at unreasonable.com> wrote:

>As long as we are mortal, for any society to continue, there must be 
>replacement members. It is reasonable for someone to be concerned that new 
>members are created, and that they are protected until adulthood.  It is 
>reasonable to want a social mechanism that encourages this. It is 
>reasonable to not want that member production to be dependent on the 
>presence of an enabling technology, so that the society can survive in the 
>face of a profound technological collapse.


Wow.  So, you're "concerned about gay marriage" because you're afraid that without at least a replacement rate of population, we won't be able to maintain our society.  This is mind-bogglingly ridiculous. 

1) If we maintained our society with 4 billion people 30 years ago, why do you think that a population decline back to 4 billion people will lead to a collapse? Especially if that means that the per capita resources will be higher for each of those people? Quality, not quantity....

2) I assume, then, that het couples who choose to remain childless concern you just as much?

3) Do you really think that not having the government provide incentives to get married will keep people from having babies? Heck - do you really think that having the government involved is necessary for a "social mechanism" to be in place?  (The ruder way to ask this is 'Do you wait for W to tell you to go get laid?')

B

-- 
Brent Neal
Geek of all Trades
http://brentn.freeshell.org

"Specialization is for insects" -- Robert A. Heinlein