The Grug Brained Developer (2022) (grugbrain.dev)

Interesting to find one of my closely-held philosophical beliefs on HN. I'd recommend looking at Aponism <https://aponism.org/manifesto> for a set of beliefs that include this + others relating to reduction of suffering, or Negative Utilitarianism for similar ideas built upon the same building blocks.

ChrisGranger · 5h ago

I've felt this way for decades and almost invariably get negative push-back when I raise these points. I've stopped worrying about it.

wahern · 1h ago

A huge number of people feel this way, especially post Gen-X generations--Millennials, etc.

From the paper:

> moral authorisation has to come before the imposition.

What's the expression... tell me you're a Millennial without telling me you're a Millennial...?

The anti-natalist movement and it's reactionary natalist counterpart are perfect case studies in how people's beliefs are shaped by their cultural environment.

efilife · 1h ago

Maybe we should consider whether the ideology is logically correct, not who it comes from. Also, what you said are just baseless assumptions where you assign ideas you don't like to people you don't like

wahern · 26m ago

I never said I didn't like the idea. I neither like it nor dislike it. I just meant to point out that the conclusions are in large part a consequence of the the way the question is framed, and the framing is largely cultural determined, in particular by generational beliefs and concerns. Indeed, the entire question of natalism/anti-natalism is generationally specific; older generations would find it an odd thing to have an "ideology" about, notwithstanding small cohorts in earlier generations, or the fact that in the abstract it had long been discussed.

Given all that, it's expected that a large number of people--in particular, those of the same or adjacent generations--would share these beliefs and even analysis; and an even larger number sharing similar framing, even if coming to opposite conclusions.

It's disquieting when you come to the realization that so many of one's beliefs are, in a sense, predetermined, or at least channeled by a cultural experience shared with millions of other people. This of course applies to myself no less than any other. I long ago stopped considering any of my thoughts rare, let alone original. I read half of the literary output of people from my generation and think, "gee, I was saying that 20 years ago"; and the other half, "gee, I was arguing the opposite 20 years ago". Well, of course I was, and so were they.

That's not to say there aren't novel exceptional moments, cases, and people. Just very few and far between. And the whole natalism debate is definitely not the exception.

efilife · 1h ago

And now you will get dismissed as being a post gen-x or a millenial

xyzzy9563 · 1h ago

The people who believe this stuff don't have kids, so they lose out in the Darwinian race, and the people with pro-natalist beliefs continue the human existence and more often pass down those beliefs. So regardless of who thinks they're right, evolution wins in the end.