The human population dynamics thread [Split from Mars Colonization thread]

[DDE]

1 hour ago, magnemoe said:

And yes it's subpopulations who have an higher birth rate, this is cultural.

It is... and it's not. Look at how France has overtaken Britain and even Germany. They may be climbing out of the supposed final stage of demographic transition.

6 minutes ago, Dale Christopher said:

Perhaps Mars could offer some respite from any perceived genetic downtrend... even if only in an isolated pocket of humanity, since the initial population would no doubt be made up of a high proportion of highly educated, highly capable people with low genetic risk factors who probably had to make it through some highly competitive selection events in order to get there. It would seem to be a nice gene pool in which to breed if you valued how much brain matter someone could bring to bear over how much baby batter.

A related argument is that 'frontier' populations always had higher birthrates due to the sheer surplus of space.

Basically... yes and no. Ultimately the biggest bottleneck is women - and standard astronaut selection criteria of today are not in favour of wannabe housewives.

Outside of patriarchal societies, intelligence ends up a dysgenic trait.

Spoiler

...despite anecdotes to the contrary

Borrowed from r/SpaceXMasterRace

 

[Guest]

35 minutes ago, DDE said:

...intelligence ends up a dysgenic trait.

Well, that’s not true. I mean out of the human family it was the upstart “homo sapien” who dominated all life on Earth. Sapien, it’s right there in the name. Modern cultural breeding practices notwithstanding =\

Edited February 15, 2020 by Guest