The View from Hell
The History of Fertility Transitions and the New Memeplex
The global fertility transition began in the late 18th century, influenced by education and social mobility, leading families to have fewer children. Even traditionally high-fertility groups, like Catholics and Mormons, eventually adopted controlled fertility patterns. Today, uncontrolled fertility is largely a relic of the past, except for a few isolated communities that resist outside education.
only cultures establishing early, universal marriage and uncontrolled fertility as the norm are successful. Populations either increased and expanded or were kept in check by mortality. (View Highlight)
humans directly wished to maximize their own fertility, such a positive obligation would not be necessary. But, as is often said, humans are adaptation executors, not fitness maximizers. (View Highlight)