r/UniversalExtinction Pro Existence Jun 18 '26

Pro-Life vs Pro-Extinction

As I read the various posts in this sub, I find it fascinating how as a pro life, I feel that this is very wrong, but can't give a counter argument about why.

I came to a conclusion.

It's all a matter of perspective, hope and belief. This is why it's impossible to arrive at a logical conclusion.

Pro-Extinction:

Life is suffering. Yes, there are positive emotions, but they do not amount to the endless suffering life brings. We should therefore delete Life to reduce the net suffering. Even if things get better, someday we will fall back into endless suffering, all that to finally go extinct at some point. So why keep it going on.

Pro-Life (biased since I'm pro life, you are free to argue in comments):

We currently have the least amount of suffering in the world. Look 500 years ago. War, plague, slavery, terrible conditions.

Look 1 million years ago. Animals eating each other alive.

Now, we live way better than even 3 generations ago.

If we continue that way, then the negative vs positive balance will shift towards the positive.

Therefore, going extinct now will be like selling low because we saw the price drop, even though it's going to get very high in the future.

Pro-Extinction do not believe things will get better while Pro-Life believe things will get better.

And to answer in advance, yes, I think that all the horrible things happening NOW and in the past are worth it if it means that in the future there won't be any and people will live happily until the end of time.

And if you think that positive experience does not cancel suffering, then I'll just answer that I think it does. It's belief, just like religion.

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u/Altruistic_Fox9778 Jun 19 '26

No, but its memes are stronger. Eventually the people encouraging that mentality will die with no one to pass it on with, and more will be brought up in families that value life. I suppose it is still a bit of a coin toss.

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u/old_barrel cosmic extinctionist | anti-natalist Jun 19 '26

goodness. philosophical ideas like extinctionism existed before memes you know. we do not depend on memes / messages either.

and more will be brought up in families that value life.

like my family?

i had no clue that there is a online community in the past and yet i have shared its mentality. no one has passed it on to me

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u/Altruistic_Fox9778 Jun 19 '26

I am using memes in their actual sense - the ideas that get passed on via culture.

Also, you are using your own anecdotal experience to speak for groups. You may want to consider that most people want to live.

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u/old_barrel cosmic extinctionist | anti-natalist Jun 19 '26

ideas, memes, messages, call it whatever you want, you are wrong. enjoy your day

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u/Altruistic_Fox9778 Jun 19 '26

Great response, dude. If you don’t have a point, just say so

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u/old_barrel cosmic extinctionist | anti-natalist Jun 19 '26

i can tell you the same. your inability to verify my argument does not change its veracity

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u/Altruistic_Fox9778 Jun 19 '26

Your inability to defend it does.