11 Comments

I’ve pondered on the mortality salience aspect of the theory, could that be proven by looking at the fertility of high IQ people compared to other high IQ people. Doctors could be reasonably assumed to literally be surrounded by death somewhat constantly ( Darwinian match ) hence should have higher fertility.

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Oofy Doofy is Law

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Ok, everything I mention in this comment is clinical and not motivated by cynicism or vainglory.

I have an IQ of 160 and have no children, so that part of your analysis is CORRECT. However, I am highly religious and subsumed by my own mortality. I think about death every day and I do not take it as a given that I will have a long lifespan.

I am conflicted by an omission of yours. In your videos you constantly declaim about the pitiful state the world is in, and yet you do not include this as one of the reasons why intelligent people would want to have fewer or no children at all. Who would want to live in a world where you can't even jokingly broach the subject of phrenology at Oxford (of all places) and where they sic security goons on you because of that?

I understand your videos are called 'A Quick Pint' for a reason, but I would have thought it wouldn't be 'death salience' but rather 'Dread Salience' which stopped high IQ people from having children in ever higher numbers.

Please don't consider this comment an insult. I greatly admire your...Testicular Fortitude. I could never find it in myself to confront the woke mob the way you do. Your bravery is a thing of wonder and a joy forever.

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Did the end of the Spanish, Dutch and French empires also result in similar behaviour to the ancient Romans and Greeks? When did the British empire actually end? The losss of India would be a good mark maybe?

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I coined the term 'fast-breeder' (borrowing from nuclear technology) for what our distinguished Dr. would now term a 'Fast life history'. (But damnit, I forgot to write the book!)

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Well that's rather depressing.... a successful society, i.e. conquering quick deaths, sews the seeds of its own decline.

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I mostly agree with a theory, but have some questions.

If the death salience theory is true then those who have older parents (this leads to older relatives ect) should want to have more kids. Also in country like Russia or Ukraine if there's a war there should be an explosion in fertility which is not happening. Thirdly covid pandemic should have lead to some fertility increase, but it lead to the opposite.

Fourthly due to aging society overall death rate in Japan or South Korea is at least 1,5x higher than it was a decade ago yet fertility decreased rather than increased .

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well, if i was female, i'd be afraid to give birth , in general. As a guy....i do not see a problem with it.

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Good video, good talking points, but kinda misleading title.

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