The Hanson Hypothesis: Global Unity or Collective Suicide?

In this episode of Moral Mayhem, we discuss and debate the ideas presented in

Robin Hanson

’s essays on cultural drift. We examine his central argument that the emergence of a global monoculture, coupled with reduced existential pressures such as war and famine, enables the persistence of biologically maladaptive cultural values— falling fertility rates being the case in point. Some related questions we touch on:

• The challenges of aligning incentives and welfare across space and time

• The feasibility of consciously shaping cultural values

• The interplay between technological progress, economic incentives, and fertility rates

• The possibility of maintaining cultural diversity while preserving peace and cooperation

Links to Hanson’s blogs on the topic:

• How to fix cultural drift

• Betrayed by culture

• Culture drift predicts decadence

• Floppy vs stiff concepts

• When lawyers sing

• Rational culture